A wild adult elephant has died after stumbling into an electric wire in an Indian forest.
The animal was electrocuted as it came into contact with the 11,000 volt wire dangling precariously eight foot above the ground.
Sources said the wire was hanging from a bent pole in the Doomdooma Forest Range in Assam, north eastern India.
The local authorities are understood to have taken the elephant’s carcass away to allow for post-mortem examinations to be carried out.
Locals are understood to have made repeated pleas to the electricity provider about the bent pole threatening the lives of both animals and humans.
This is the fourth incident of its kind in recent months.
People living in the area allege the elephant’s death is the fault of the negligent authorities.
Three elephants have died in the same area and a young boy was also electrocuted after coming into contact with another dangling wire.
Smaller than their African relatives, Indian elephants can grow to around 12ft tall. There are between 20,000 and 25,000 left in the wild.