A male tusker died of electrocution after it came in contact with a loose high-tension live wire in Jharkhand's East Singhbhum district, a police officer said on Tuesday.

The elephant which was separated from the herd, was moving around the village in search of food for last three days.

It came into contact with high tension live wire near Bhatin village, about 35 km from here, and got electrocuted in the intervening night of Monday/Tuesday, the officer said.

The police officer said forest department officials have reached the spot and efforts were on to bury the pachyderm after post-mortem.

A large number of villagers including women gathered on the spot after news about dead elephant spread in the area.

The villagers accused the lackadaisical approach of the forest and the electricity department for the incident.

The stray elephant was moving around in the area but no attempt was made by forest department to drive it back to nearest forest, they alleged.

The villagers said they had lodged complaint with the electricity department about the loose high tension wire in the past but nothing was done which resulted in the death of the animal.

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