Jorhat: An elephant and her calf died after being hit by a speeding train in Assam's Jorhat district late on Sunday night, a forest official said. Another wild elephant that sustained injuries in the incident, which occured near Kharikatia railway station, has taken shelter in a nearby tea garden, the official said.
Medical personnel are trying to tranquilise the animal to provide necessary treatment, he said. "A female elephant and her calf died on being hit by New Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express on Sunday night, and a third pachyderm was injured. "Post mortem of the carcasses have been conducted and huge pits dug to bury them," he added.
Forest officials charged that the Railways had been turning a deaf ear to their request to slow down the trains in the wildlife sensitive areas where pachyderms frequently cross the tracks. Forest official B Pegu said that department had already alerted railways about movement of elephants in the area. "We have appealed to the Railways to regulate the train speed in the (wildlife sensitive) areas. However, they have not obliged to our request so far." (with Agency inputs)
