Elephant hit by train dies in Dhenkanal

Dhankanal: A wild elephant, which had suffered multiple injuries after being hit by a train on Friday, died Tuesday afternoon at the Matharagadi forests in Hindol range of Dhenkanal district.

Locals spotted the carcass of the elephant in the forest and immediately informed the Forest Department whose officials rushed to spot, recovered the carcass and sent it for an autopsy.

The elephant was injured while crossing the rail tracks and had suffered multiple injuries, sources said. Locals even claimed that the elephant had ventured into the human habitat many a time after suffering injuries.

This is the second jumbo death caused by speeding train in less than a month. Earlier on April 16, a herd comprising one tusker, two female elephants and a calf were crossing over the tracks in the wee hours near Teladihi level crossing when they were hit by a speeding train leading to their death.

Later, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) suspended four forest personnel for negligence in duty. The Forest department also shot a letter to the Jharsuguda Station Manager and Chakradharpur Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) demanding action against the driver of the train and other officials responsible for the mishap.

In another incident yesterday, the carcass of a female elephant calf was found floating in a pond in Chhanchunia village under Badamba forest range in Cuttack district. Locals spotted the body of the elephant and immediately informed the forest officials. Soon after, the forest personnel rushed to the spot and fished out the dead calf from the pond.