Deega Danthu death leads to historic Public Property Act action after the famed tusker was electrocuted by an illegal fence.
The Deega Danthu death has triggered a historic legal move, with authorities preparing to file charges under the Public Property Act for the first time in such a case.
The action is being taken in connection with the death of the famous tusker “Deega Danthu,” who lived near the Kala Wewa National Park and died after becoming entangled in an illegally installed high-voltage electric fence.
The Magistrate’s inquiry into the tusker’s death was taken up before Kekirawa Magistrate Udari Gunasekara.
During the proceedings, the Galkiriyagama Police were ordered to submit an official valuation report of the dead elephant to enable the filing of a case under the Public Property Act.
The Magistrate further instructed that, along with the valuation report, the elephant’s pair of tusks should also be produced before court as case productions at the next hearing.
The massive elephant, estimated to have been between 45 and 50 years old, died from electrocution on November 27, 2024, in the Andiyagala, Inguruwa area.
The suspect, Upul Priyantha Bandara, a manager of an insurance company who has been released on bail over the construction of the illegal electric fence, also appeared in court on the day the matter was called.
Investigations have revealed that the fence installed around his house was not a simple barrier intended only to ward off wild animals.
Instead, investigators say it had been set up using a battery system capable of delivering a fatal electric current.
A post-mortem examination conducted by wildlife veterinarians confirmed that the tusker died from a heart attack caused directly by the electric shock.
According to a “B” report submitted to court, a severe internal burn injury of around one foot in length was observed inside the elephant’s trunk.
Investigators who examined the scene found unsafe galvanized wire, a UPS unit, a black 45-ampere car battery, and a cable approximately 12 feet 9 inches long.
These items are alleged to have been used to supply electricity to the fence.
A wildlife conservation officer also pointed out that a section of the fence had been unnaturally removed, adding another serious concern to the investigation.
Several environmental organizations, including the Elephant Conservation Society, have intervened in the case as aggrieved parties.
They have emphasized that strict legal action must be taken over the death of an animal considered nationally important.
Appearing on behalf of the Society’s President, K. Priyadarshani, lawyer Savana Ranathunga represented their interests before court.
The court ordered that the trial be postponed until August 6, allowing time for the valuation report and relevant evidence to be submitted.
The case has now become a landmark moment in Sri Lanka’s wildlife protection and legal history, as authorities move to treat the killing of a nationally significant elephant not merely as a wildlife offence, but as damage to public property.
