A wild elephant was found dead at Nayagram in Jhargram district on Thursday, and the forest department suspected that the animal had consumed paddy sprayed with pesticides.

Vijay Kumara Salimath, the chief conservator of forests (CCF) of the south western circle, said the use of heavy pesticides on paddy fields was the likely cause of the 12-year-old male's death.

"Although the actual reason will be known after the postmortem report comes in, our preliminary findings suggest that the elephant consumed paddy sprayed with pesticides one or two days ago," said Salimath.

A source said local farmers might have used a high dose of pesticides to protect their crops from elephant attacks.

Previously, farmers had laid electrified wires around their fields to guard against elephants. "After several awareness campaigns in the area, farmers were deterred from using electric fencing on their fields. Now, if heavy pesticide use becomes a tool for farmers to protect crops from elephants, it presents a new challenge," said a forester.

The human-animal conflict is a challenge for the forest department in at least four Jungle Mahal districts, which house around 180–200 elephants. Because of a lack of vegetation and minimal fruit-bearing trees in the forests, elephants often turn to paddy and vegetables in farmlands as their primary food source.

"The postmortem report will ultimately reveal the amount and type of pesticide the elephant consumed. If we find that the level exceeds the usual pesticide use on paddy fields, we will have to take a different approach," a source in the forest department said on Thursday.

On April 8, another elephant died in the forests of Nayagram, which is part of the Kharagpur forest division. CCF Salimath said the report on the postmortem on that elephant was still pending.