A tusker was electrocuted after it apparently came into contact with an illegal high-voltage electric fence erected around a farm in Maavellam forest under the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve in the district.
Forest officials registered a case and arrested the owner of the farm, Mani, after the elephant, aged around 20 years, was found dead near the farm in Attapadi village last evening, a Forest Department release here said today.
The farmer had electrified his fence around the land to prevent damage to standing crops, especially sugarcane, by wild animals.
It was suspected that high-voltage electricity was connected to the fence and the elephant died on the spot after coming into contact with it, the release said.
Forest personnel, who reached the farm on information, conducted an autopsy and buried the elephant in the forest area.