Hundreds of people gather in India to mourn elephant that died after being electrocuted when it wandered into their village in search of food (Chakrapani Village, India)

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Alexandra Robertson for Daily Mail

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Hundreds of villagers in India gathered together to mourn the death of an elephant that died after being electrocuted when it wandered into community looking for something to eat.

People decorated the elephant’s body with paints and plants as part of prayers as it was laid to rest and buried in a massive grave on Sunday at Chakrapani village in the Kamrup district of Assam, India.

Local reports claim the massive mammal was killed after coming into contact with one of the community’s unauthorized electric wires especially erected and hidden by the villagers to keep away the wild elephants.

It is understood the Asiatic elephant had strayed near a storehouse where it had attempted to eat some paddy rice when it inadvertently touched the high voltage fence.

An official said that the scarcity of food and the illegal encroachment of forest areas nearby may have forced the wild beast to desperately seek out food in a populated area.