Chitwan, Aug. 6 -- year-old male rhinoceros was found dead in a rice field in ward 2 of Madi Municipality in southern Chitwan, conservation authorities said on Wednesday.

The animal is believed to have died from electrocution on Tuesday night, according to Abhinash Thapa Magar, information officer at Chitwan National Park.

"We suspect the rhino was electrocuted in the field overnight. We were informed of the incident only this morning. An investigation is underway to determine the cause and identify the farm's owner," Thapa Magar said.

The rhino's horn was found intact, ruling out immediate suspicion of poaching, though officials are investigating whether the animal was killed to protect crops.

Killing a rhinoceros is a criminal offen...