Bhubaneswar, Dec. 22 -- The recent train accident in Assam that claimed the lives of seven elephants has once again brought the issue of wildlife deaths into sharp public focus. While such tragic train collisions attract immediate attention, official data from Odisha reveals a far more alarming and largely underreported threat to elephants- electrocution.

According to the Annual Odisha Wildlife Report 2025, as many as 842 elephants have died in the state over the past decade. A closer look at the figures exposes a disturbing reality... Out of 155 of these deaths, nearly 20 per cent, were caused by electrocution, whereas 29 elephants (around 3 per cent) died after being hit by trains.

The numbers clearly indicate that while railway accid...