A Forest Guard died after coming in contact with a live electric wire which had been laid allegedly for poaching of wild animals at Samapali village under the Riamal Forest Range in Deogarh district late on Friday night.
The Forest Guard Pradeep Pradhan (38) had gone outside his house and did not return thereafter. His family members and villagers searched for him till late but in vain. Later at around 12 midnight, his body was found in a vegetable garden at Jharanali on the banks of Tikira river.
Locals said he died after coming in contact with an electric wire. On the other hand, his elder brother Rasananda said his son Niranjan (20) had laid the electric wire on Thursday night to protect the vegetables from wild animals. Unaware of this, when Pradhan went to oversee the vegetables, he came in contact with the wire.
Police along with forest officials reached the spot and seized the dead body, besides initiating an inquiry into the incident.