By Jaya Krishna Yadav, Inaruwa, Oct. 3: Makuna, a wild elephant of Koshi Tappu Wildlife Sanctuary (KTWS) that had been terrorising the settlements nearby, has died of an electric shock.

According to locals, Makuna was electrocuted near the eastern embankment of the reserve on Sunday morning.

The reserve administration is concerned over the death of Makuna, who was also a breeding partner of the elephants in the reserve.

Chairman of Koshi Tappu Learning Ground, Raj Kumar Singh, said that he was saddened by the news of Makuna's death in Koshi Tappu.

According to Singh, Makuna was found dead in Koshi Rural Municipality-3 of Sunsari on Sunday morning.

The elephant was found dead at Pater, 300m north of the Akwa Resort at Sattisar, on the east side of the Koshi dam, Singh said.

It is said that the villagers near the KTWS installed an electric fence in the paddy and sugarcane fields and the elephant died due to the electric shock.

Ashok Ram, chief conservation officer at KTWS, said that there were no injuries on the body parts of the elephant and death might have been caused by the electric shock.

Ram informed that an autopsy was being carried out on the spot. A team of animal health workers reached the spot from Biratnagar. The dead elephant will be buried by digging a hole at the place of death after completing the legal process, he informed. Earlier, Makuna had been given darts two times to control its anger.

Six wild elephants have already died due to electric shock in the area.

According to Ram, six wild elephants have died in Chatara, Prakashpur, Madhuwan of Barakhshetra Municipality, and West Kushaha, Haripur and Saptari of Koshi Rural Municipality.