Open Power Cable Kills Female Elephant Near Malakpur, Officials Probe

In the early hours of September 19, a female elephant that was part of a roaming pair was electrocuted near the hamlet of Malakpur, situated close to the Mauganj district’s forest division. The Department of Forests’ officer Lokesh Nīrapurē announced that a post‑mortem will be carried out to determine the precise cause of death, while legal proceedings are being prepared against any negligence. The affected area is identified as forest land under the Forest Development Corporation, emphasizing the jurisdictional responsibilities of multiple agencies. Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey highlighted that the elephant had been traveling from the Bandhavgarh region and that its sudden encounter with the live wire points to insufficient surveillance of power infrastructure within wildlife habitats.