Shocking incident: Two killed by electric fencing in Sera-e-Saleh

Fences were used to cordon off fields from wild boars

HARIPUR: At least two people died when they were electrocuted by fencing that had been installed as a preventive measure against wild boars in Sera-e-Saleh union council in Haripur.

A police official told The Express Tribune on Friday that the deceased have been identified as Zil-e-Abbas and Hasrat Nawaz.

“They were both residents of Mankraey village,” he added.

According to the official, Zil-e-Abbas and Nawaz had gone for a qawwali programme at the shrine of Haji Imam Pir on Thursday night.

“On their way back home, they were crossing maize fields when both accidentally touched a fence connected to an electricity line,” he said.

The official added both men were electrocuted and died on the spot.  Locals found their bodies on Friday morning and informed the police.

Abdul Samad, the owner of the maize field, was arrested. According to the police official, a criminal case was registered against him under Section 322 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The provision deals with punishment for qatl-bis-sabab. These include offences whereby a person, who does not intend to cause the death of another person, commits an unlawful act which becomes the cause of the latter’s death.

Without options

Samad told the police that wild boars destroy his maize crop every year and he has suffered losses worth thousands of rupees.

“Since there were no measures taken by the agriculture or wildlife department to keep wild animals at bay, local farmers developed their strategy to combat the menace,” the official cited Samad as saying. “I decided to install fences.”

According to the farmer, the fence was installed to protect crops and he was oblivious to the fact that some people could enter his fields in the middle of the night.

Beastly tales

The growing population of wild boars has been on a rampage in various parts of the province, damaging crops in its wake. However, not much attention is being paid to the issue.

Battagram, Kohistan, Haripur, Abbottabad and Mansehra are all districts where farmers grow maize, but the most damage caused by boars is usually reported from the last three.

From shooting the boars to scaring them with firecrackers and even releasing packs of dogs on them, farmers leave no stone unturned to protect the crop they have invested considerable time and money to harvest.

Many in Haripur, Abbottabad and Mansehra have now cordoned off their fields with electric fences.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 17^th, 2016.