Three herds have been on the prowl in the area

Two wild elephants, believed to be from Karnataka, were found covertly buried in a farmland at Konagorapalle village of Irala forest beat, 30 km from here, on Monday.

Around 4.p.m. of Monday, there was furore in half a dozen villages in Irala mandal with information trickling in that two wild elephants were clandestinely buried in a farmland. Villagers rushed there to have a look at burial pits, with stench emanating from them.

According to the forest officials, the wild elephants could have been buried about five to six days ago.

About three herds of wild elephants, either residents of the Koundinya wildlife sanctuary at Palamaner-Kuppam ranges or migrants from Karnataka or Tamil Nadu, had been on the prowl in Punganur, Chowdepalle, Irala and Somala mandals. As the elephants strayed far away from the wildlife sanctuary belt, forest officials found it difficult to drive them back into their habitation. In the meantime, the pachyderms were found to be habituated to dwelling on the hill slopes and valleys nearby the fields in the morning, and raiding crops from dusk to dawn. In recent months, a farmhouse was also damaged by the elephants, coupled with reports of heavy crop loss.

Electrocuted

In this backdrop, four elephants were said to be frequenting the fields in Irala mandal since a month. It is suspected that the two elephants might have been electrocuted in the field, after coming in contact with high power lines, either overhead or clandestinely arranged by the farm owner to prevent jumbo attacks on standing crops of vegetables or mango trees. Fearing exposure, the farmer concerned had allegedly used an earthmover to dig two huge pits to bury the carcasses. In view of the lesser depth of the pits, strong stench started emanating from them, leading to exposure of the clandestine burial of the wild elephants. Barking of dogs at the pits further led to the suspicion.

Officials of the Forest Department from Chittoor rushed to spot, and began exhuming the carcasses on Monday evening.

“In view of the heavy stench and high level of decomposition, and poor lighting at the forest location, the exhuming will be resumed on Tuesday. Whether the deceased animals are male or female is yet to be ascertained,” the Forest Range Officer (Chittoor) said. According to information, a search has been launched for the farmland owner.

Meanwhile, the jumbo casualties in the Koundinya wildlife sanctuary and elsewhere rose to six this year.