The 15-year-old adult and a seven-year-old male calf were struck by lightning a week ago but their carcasses were found only on Saturday evening, forest officials said.

District forest officer A K Ulaganathan said that the carcasses were found near a water hole in Jawalahiri reserve forest.

An elephant herd from Bannerghatta National Park in Karnataka often visited the Jawalahiri reserve forests in Hosur forest division and Dhali forests in Krishnagiri district. After spending days here they would return back to Bannerghatta.

"Two male elephants belonging to these herds were found dead near a permanent water hole in Jawalahiri forests during a field visit by anti-poaching squad on Saturday evening,'' Ulaganathan said.

Immediately, senior forest officials visited the spot and studied the circumstances under which the elephants died. The forest officials were initially taken aback by the death of two elephants and began inquiries with the villagers and forest staff to ascertain the cause of the death.

On Sunday, a post mortem was performed on the carcasses. "The post mortem revealed that the elephants had died a week ago due to lightning,'' Ulaganathan said. The carcasses in a partially decayed state were subsequently buried.

The 15-year-old adult and a seven-year-old male calf were struck by lightning a week ago but their carcasses were found only on Saturday evening.