This footage shows three of five elephants that were electrocuted to death, including two calves after they touched a 33-kilovolt power cable.

The video shows two adult elephants and one calf lying dead on the ground. The calf can be seen with its mouth open and blood coming out of it.

The elephants met their tragic end when they touched a 33-kilovolt feeder line in the Benasol-Upar Banda forest area, in the town of Musabani, in the district of East Singhbhum, in the state of Jharkhand, in India.

The incident took place on Monday night, 21st November.

But forest officials were only made aware of the incident after seeing photographs of the dead animals taken by locals who went to fetch firewood.

They located the lifeless animals at around 1 pm the next day, on 22nd November.

The bodies of the three of the dead animals can be seen in the footage on the ground in the forest.

The substation feeder lines, reportedly 11 feet above the ground, can also be seen.

Manjunath Bhajantri, Deputy Commissioner of the region, said: “The wire was going to the Hindustan Copper Limited, and I have instructed forest department officials to conduct a detailed investigation into the incident.

“After investigation, it will be clear how and why there was a low-hanging 33 KV wire.”

He added: “Officials should work on maintaining the minimum height of all high-tension wires as per KV loads in that forest, and the remaining four elephants in the forest area should be relocated to a safe place.”

Mamata Priyadarshini, Divisional Forest Officer, said: “It is a sorry state of affairs, and it is clear which department is responsible here as the wire is still stuck to the bodies of the elephants.

“A post-mortem will be conducted, and then we will come to know the complete picture.”

According to a local media report, a trench was dug by the Forest Department in that area a few days ago, and a mound of soil was left nearby.

When the elephants were moving through the area, a female elephant is thought to have climbed the earthen mound and touched the wire, which electrocuted her, according to local media.

The baby elephants then touched the legs and trunk of the electrocuted female elephant, and one by one, the elephants were electrocuted, according to reports.

A case for negligence has reportedly been opened against forestry officials.

The elephants were reportedly nine in that forest area, and four reportedly escaped according to local reports.

This incident brings the toll of electrocuted elephants in the region to seven within two months.