Elephant calf hit by train in Rourkela being shifted to Bhubaneswar for better treatment

An injured elephant calf hit by a goods train in Odisha's Sundargarh district is being shifted to Bhubaneswar for better treatment, forest officials said on Wednesday. The jumbo is being shifted to Nandankanan for better treatment.

Forest officials tranquillized the elephant calf at night and it is being brought to Nandankanan Zoological Park (NZP), reports said. The jumbo was one of the two injured elephants that were hit by a Goods train in Rourkela.

While one of the calves died on the spot, forest officials are making attempts to trace the other injured calf that has strayed into a forest near Bondamunda.

According to sources, the incident took place around 9.30 pm on Monday on the Howrah-Mumbai line near Bondamunda in the Bisra range of the Rourkela Forest Division. A herd of 23 elephants came on the track after being chased by local people, the officials said.

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While a calf was crushed under the wheels of the train, two other elephants also suffered injuries; they said adding that the loco pilot was detained. The herd was probably coming from the Kudurbahal forest and was heading towards Pokharabahal using their usual corridor.

The DFO said the forest department had informed the railway regarding the movement of elephants near the track at about 9.21 pm.

“They (railway) informed me that one goods train was on the move and this was stopped immediately. However, another one came from the opposite direction and caused the accident. It is going to be investigated,” said the DFO.

Temporary solar fencing was being erected to stop the injured and other herd members from travelling to the railway track. Meanwhile, trains passing through the area have been asked to run slowly due to the presence of elephants in the region.