A wild elephant was electrocuted near Nalitabari border in Sherpur on Thursday night, said a forest official.
The incident occurred in the Lalanengar area of Purba Shamshchura village around 11pm. The area falls under Madhutila Range of the Forest Department.
Locals and the forest department said the wild animal had come down from the hills in search of food and was killed by an electric trap set up to protect a farmer's Boro paddy.
Madhutila Range Ranger Dewan Ali said forest officials and members of the Elephant Response Team (ERT) were sent to the scene after hearing the news of the death.
Assuring of taking actions in this regard, he said they learned that the elephant died after coming into contact with an electric wire connected to a generator, which was set up by a local farmer to protect crops.
Elephant electrocuted in Sherpur: Man detained, generator, electric cables recovered
Locals said for the past few days, herds of wild elephants had been descending from the hills into the Madhutila Range area for food, forcing the farmers to install electric wires and lights around their fields to save them.
On Thursday night, a herd of around 20 elephants entered the farmer’s Boro field in the village while one the elephant electrocuted.
Upon information, Forest Department officials rushed to the scene.