An adult makna (a male elephant without tusks) was electrocuted in Kalchini block of Alipurduar district on Monday morning.

Sources said the elephant had wandered out of the Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) (west) division’s Pana forest range and reached Bijoypur, a neighbouring village.

The animal was electrocuted when it came in contact with an electric fence put up around a betel nut plantation.

Forest department officers said Kala Sonar, the plantation owner, had illegally installed energised fences to prevent elephants’ entry.

The foresters apprehended Sonar, 68, who was taken for medical examination. A court remanded Sonar in judicial custody for 14 days.

“We have registered a case under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, against him,” said Apurba Sen, the field director of BTR.

The carcass was taken to the forest area for a post-mortem.