Bhanjanagar: A poacher was electrocuted after coming in contact with a live wire laid by him to hunt wild animals at a jungle under Jagannathprasad forest range and North Ghumusar forest division near here in Ganjam district. The deceased was identified as Surath Pradhan, 45, of Sitarampur under Kudutai panchayat in Jagannathprasad block.
According to forest officials, Surath and a few others had set out for hunting late Tuesday night. He had reportedly laid an electric trap on a paddy field in a forested area. Due to rain, the exposed wire caused Surath’s electrocution, leading to his death on the spot. His two associates fled the scene, said divisional forest officer (DFO) Himanshu Sekhar Mohanty.
On being informed, teams from the Forest department, Tata Power, and local police reached the spot and started an investigation. The electric wire was seized from the spot, and the body sent for post-mortem to Bhanjanagar hospital. An unnatural death case (9/25) was registered at Tarasingh police station, and investigation is underway, the investigating officer confirmed. Forest officials reiterated that laying electric wires for hunting is illegal and dangerous, and that efforts are being made to track down others involved in the activity.
