Elephant Dies After Being Hit by Goods Train in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, November 22: A female elephant was killed after being hit by a goods train in Odisha's Keonjhar district, Forest officials said Thursday. The incident took place at around 9.55 pm Wednesday night when a herd of 10 elephants were crossing the railway tracks near Ramachandrapur village under Sadar forest range and the empty goods train was heading towards Nayagarh from Jakhapura. While nine other jumbos had a narrow escape in the incident, one female elephant was hit by the train, Keonjhar Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Santosh Kumar Joshi said.

The DFO said that all protocols regarding the movement of elephants near railway track were followed and same was intimated to the railways. The caution order to restrict the train speed due to possible movement of wild elephants from 7 pm till 6 am next day was conveyed to the Elephant Control Room, Khurda at about 6.20 pm on November 21. The railways was told to restrict the train speed to 50 kmph and long blow horn were imposed, but it is not sure whether the loco pilot has followed the caution order to restrict the speed of the train which is yet to be enquired by the railways, the DFO said. Elephant Fatalities on Railway Tracks: Sound of Bees to Ward Off Herd From Railway Tracks in West Bengal.

Meanwhile, the Forest department booked the train driver for dereliction in duty as they had earlier cautioned the railways about the movement of elephants in the area. The loco pilot was released on bail. "Investigation into the matter is going on," the DFO added. In April this year four elephants were killed after a train hit them in Jharsuguda district.