Two elephants, including a calf, were found dead on Monday morning reportedly after coming in contact with a live electric wire near the Gunadei Canal Road, a hundred metres from NH-55, in Dhenkanal district.
Some local villagers spotted the bodies of an elephant aged 15 years and its six-month-old calf lying on the road. It is suspected that the pachyderms died after coming in contact with a 33-KV high-tension electric wire on Sunday night while crossings the canal, the DFO said.
Sources said jumbos have changed their path following ongoing construction work of the Rengali Canal. But there are low-lying electric wires at various places through which the pachyderms are passing through.
Though the Forest officials have appraised the Electricity Department on the matter, the latter is yet to take steps to avoid accidents. Following the twin jumbo deaths, the State Government on Monday filed an FIR against three officials of the local Energy Department and suspended two forest officials, the DFO added.