Dhenkanal: The carcass of a female elephant was found near Balua Sahi in Ichhapur under Sadar range in Dhenkanal district this morning.
Though the exact reason behind death of the jumbo is yet to be established, it is suspected that the animal was electrocuted to death.
According to reports, some locals spotted the body and informed the forest officials who confirmed that the elephant was about 12-years-old and pregnant.
"The area is used for cultivating vegetables and farmers use live wires to guard their vegetables and crops from wild animals. The elephant must have come in contact with an electric wire and died," a forest official stated.
Meanwhile, the Ranger and the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) have reached the spot and started investigation.
Earlier on Saturday, a daily wage labourer was killed in elephant attack at Gengutia under Sadar police limits here. The deceased Sushant Behera was on his way to Dhenkanal town with two other co-workers, when a pachyderm attacked the trio near a level crossing.