Coimbatore: Two elephants found dead, one due to gun shot wounds; 2 brothers held

Coimbatore: Two elephants were found dead in this district, one due to gunshot wounds near Kandiyur and the other following suspected ill-health while the carcass of another jumbo was found in nearby Nilgiris, the forest department officials said on Thursday, July 2.

Two people, both brothers, taken into custody for questioning in connection with the Kandiyur case, were arrested for shooting the elephant to death in their farm in Mettupalayam, about 45 km from here, they said.

The 25-year-old female elephant was found dead, bleeding from the left ear.

“A post-mortem revealed that the elephant was shot dead, as a sharp-edged metal piece was found pierced in its brain, through the left ear,” the officials said.

Further investigations led to the arrest of the two brothers, owning the farm.

They are said to have confessed that they shot the pachyderm, which was entering the land and destroying the produce, according to the officials.

Forest officials were also informed about the death of another female elephant at Sirumugai, some 20 km away.

“The 20-year-old elephant was said to be suffering from ill-health. The real cause of death will be known after the autopsy,” they added.

Meanwhile, the carcass of a male elephant was found in a private bamboo resort around Masinaguri in Nilgiris district.

According to officials, the death appears to be due to electrocution as the elephant might have tried to pull bamboo shoots and might have touched a live wire or fence.

“The tusks are intact,” they said.