Cuttack, July 11: Two female elephants were electrocuted under Safa gram panchayat of Tangi-Choudwar block in the district.

Both the elephants had entered the human settlement near the Karanji forest reserve and died after coming in contact with a low-tension wire near a garden of Srikshetra ashram last night. Villagers spotted the carcass around 6am today.

"The two elephants of 10 and 15 years of age, respectively, died due to electrocution after they came in contact with an low-hanging electric wire of a farm house near the ashram," said Cuttack divisional forest officer Sudarshan Patra.

Usually, elephants are spotted at the village under Tangi-Choudwar block as they frequently enter the human settlement in search of food and water from the reserved forest near a mountain.

"The electricity department should take urgent measures to raise the height of the wires, so that such mishaps can be avoided," said Kedar Sahu, a villager.

On March 20, an elephant and a calf were electrocuted at Dihasahi village in Choudwar adjoining the Athagarh forest. They died after coming in a contact with a live wire drawn up near a farmland to prevent incursion of jumbos.

Sources said the March incident took place as high-tension wires were used in the garb of solar fencing, which the forest department had put up to protect farmland from entry of wild animals.

Senior forest officials said a detailed probe would be conducted to ascertain whether the deaths were the fallout of an accident or deliberate electrocution.

"A case under the Wildlife Protection Act will be registered against those who will be found guilty if it would be a case of deliberate electrocution," Patra said.

In another development, a herd of 18 elephants, including eight tuskers and four calves, has damaged 10 houses and crops in Balasore.

The affected villages are Sukruli, Khiching, Pandarsil, Gambhariapal, Chadheibhola, Sarukanta and so on. The jumbos broke a window of the Medhamundi Primary School and ate the rice stored for midday meal.

In Khiching, the herd has crushed the entrance gate of the works department's inspection bungalow.# Karanjia divisional forest officer Prasanna Kumar Behera said they warned villagers not to approach or irritate the jumbos. Villagers have also been advised not store handia, an alcoholic drink, he said.

"At times they turn aggressive. Efforts are on to drive them out with the help of local volunteers by traditional means," Behera said.

Additional reporting by Sibdas Kundu