The Meghalayan Bureau
GUWAHATI:
In a tragic incident, a wild elephant was killed and another got injured after a speeding freight train hit a herd of jumbos at Gosaihat in the Palasbari area of Assam’s Kamrup district in the wee hours of January 27. The injured elephant reportedly went back into the wilderness.
The incident occurred on the Kamakhya-Jogighopa rail track when the herd, which had come down from Maliata Hills in search of food, was hit by the Delhi-bound train coming from Guwahati.
“One wild elephant dashed against the engine of a goods train (DN BCN E/S, Loco No. 70090) last night. The incident occurred at KM 153/8-9 at about 2:48 am between Azara and Mirza stations under Rangiya division of Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR). The driver of the goods train reported side collision by an elephant with the train engine while on the run at about 2:55 am. After getting dashed, elephant fell down on track,” a NFR spokesperson said.
Soon after, officials from the Forest Department and Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR) reached the spot to remove the carcass and clear the track.
“Track clearance was given by SSE/P-Way/Mirza at 5:20 am. After the removal of the carcass from the track, the goods train left from the site towards Azara,” he said. The official also informed that due to the incident, two trains – Kamakhya – Rajendra Nagar Terminal Express and New Tinsukia – KSR Bengaluru SF Express – suffered detention for 20 minutes and one got delayed about one hour, respectively. “Some other goods trains passing through this section also got delayed,” he also said.
Constituting a detailed inquiry into the incident, the NFR has decided to reassess rail tracks in notified elephant corridors in coordination with forest department.
“The area where the incident occurred is not a forest department-declared elephant corridor. No information from forest officials or villagers on the movement of the elephant in the area was received by the nodal railway officials.
As a preventive measure, the forest department and railways have dedicated representatives at the railway’s divisional 24 hr working control office, but no information regarding the movement of the elephant was available. After the incident, information was given by railway officials to the Forest department,” he said.
“All dashing cases are treated like an accident. In the past, NFR has taken various initiatives to avoid train-elephant collision and dashing,” he said.
Following the incident, all train drivers and trackmen have been counselled to observe all permanent and temporary speed restrictions in the notified sections.