Elephant run over by speeding train

JALPAIGURI: A sub-adult female elephant was mowed down by an Alipurduar-bound train at Banerhat in Jalpaiguri around 11.30pm on Friday.

The train that left from New Jalpaiguri hit the jumbo between Redbank and Debpara tea estates.

Ironically, the same afternoon the forest department had held a meeting with railway officials in Jaldapara on the issue of elephants often being run over by trains.

The ‘cowcatcher’ (a metal frame in the front of the engine for pushing aside cattle or other obstacles on the line) tossed the elephant around 100 yards away from the tracks.

The last such accident was reported in February this year when a sub-adult male elephant was killed near Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary between Chalsa and Nagrakata. Friday’s accident spot falls under a recognised elephant corridor, which is also an accident-prone area. In 2011, as many as seven elephants were mowed down simultaneously at Moraghat. Since the conversion of the NJPAlipurduar track in 2004, speeding trains have killed over 70 elephants on this route that passes through national parks and wild life sanctuaries.

Alipurduar’s divisional railway manager, CV Raman, said, “The accident occurred as the elephant came on the track suddenly.”

Chief conservator of forests (wildlife, northern circle) Ujjal Ghosh said, “We had informed the railways in advance about the movement of elephants in the area. But the accident could not be averted. This is not acceptable.”


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