As many as 193 elephants have died in Odisha in the last three years due to poaching, poisoning, deliberate electrocution and other causes, the state government said.

Replying to a question in the Assembly yesterday, forest and environment minister Bikram Arukha said of the 193 jumbos, 17 died due to poaching, two from poisoning and 14 were killed by deliberate electrocution.

While eight elephants died due to infighting and falling from hill top, two jumbos died in train accidents and two more in road mishaps, Arukha said, adding the state government has taken several steps to ensure food security in their habitats.

"The government has planted trees which elephants prefer to eat and dug ponds to make water available to the animals inside the forests," the minister said. Anti-poaching squads have been deployed at different places in forest areas, he said