Udhagamandalam: Two elephants were electrocuted after they came into contact with a snapped electric wire in a farm in Kothadi village in Gudalur, about 80 km from here.

The carcass of the elephants- a 12-year old male and an 18-year old female- were noticed by some estate workers who informed forest department officials.

The elephants were found lying on the snapped overhead high tension wire, department sources said. Farm owner Dorai claimed the elephants, along with a calf, had entered the farm and destroyed betel nut trees which fell on the electric wire, resulting in its snapping. The elephants accidentally stepped on to the wire killing them on the spot, he told the forest department. Officials from the electricity board also arrived to look into the matter.

There was some delay in recovering the bodies for post mortem as the calf along with a herd of elephants had surrounded them, forest officials said.