Medinipur, 27 September (H.S.): Three elephants were found dead in a paddy field at Hadtara village under the Ranja Beat of the Pirakata Range in West Medinipur district on Sunday morning. Two of the deceased elephants were calves. The exact cause of their deaths has not yet been ascertained. However, local residents suspect that the elephants may have died after coming into contact with a live electric wire. A hanging electric wire was found near the spot.

The villagers were the first to spot the three elephants lying dead in the paddy field on Sunday morning. They informed the Forest Department, following which forest officials reached the spot. Pirakata Range Forest Officer Shubhashish Chowdhury said that the exact cause of the elephants' deaths was not yet clear. However, an electric wire had been taken over the paddy field to operate a pump for agricultural purposes.

Several people suspect that the elephants may have been electrocuted after coming into contact with the wire. The villagers have also expressed a similar suspicion. The actual cause of death will be known only after the post-mortem examination.

Meanwhile, a large number of villagers gathered near the field from the morning to see the dead elephants. Several villagers said they had heard the elephants trumpeting at around 11 p.m. on Saturday. They suspect that the accident may have occurred around that time. The Forest Department will recover the carcasses of all three elephants and send them for post-mortem examination.

Hindusthan Samachar / Santosh Madhup