Train mows down elephant in Tinsukia (India)

Author(s)

Times of India

Date Published

DIBRUGARH: An elephant was mowed down by a train at Bogapani in Tinsukia district on Wednesday night.

According to reports, the jumbo was trying to cross the railway tracks when it was knocked down by the 75912 Ledo-Tinsukia DEMU passenger train. The incident took place at 9.30 pm. Sources said the elephant was going towards the Upper Dehing Reserve Forest.

Digboi divisional forest officer Bipul Bora on Thursday said an FIR has been filed against railway authorities in connection with the incident. He added that a workshop will be conducted by the forest department to sensitize loco drivers about the issue.

“The loco pilots should be careful while crossing the forest areas. The workshop will provide tips to prevent such incidents,” said Bora. The spot where the incident occurred was not a notified elephant corridor for which there was no speed restriction resulting in the incident.

Elephant deaths due to train hits have become a regular phenomenon in certain identified elephant corridors of Assam in winter. In 2010, the Union ministry of environment and forests had issued an advisory for preventing accidents involving elephants.

According to railway officials, there are 27 identified elephant corridors under NF Railway, including two temporary ones. Locomotive drivers are supposed to restrict their speed to a maximum of 50 km/hour while crossing these corridors.

 

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