Odisha: 2 more train-hit jumbos die in Keonjhar, railway-forest spat begins

BHUBANESWAR/JAMSHEDPUR: Two more elephants which had been hit by a train near Behera in Keonjhar district succumbed to the injuries raising the death toll in the Thursday evening train accident to three.
The dead jumbos include a female and two calves. Officials said they were part of a herd of 20 elephants. A goods train that originated from Banspani and was going to Jurudi mowed down the elephants while crossing the tracks on Thursday evening. Soon after the hit, a calf died on the spot while another calf and the mother were injured. As other elephants from the herd had surrounded them, forest and veterinary officials could not muster the courage to go near them and start treatment. On Friday morning, two elephants were dead, said a wildlife officer.
Sources said despite repeated accidents claiming lives of the animals, steps to check train-hit incidences have always been inadequate. While officials of forest and railways have engaged in a blame game, in the past 12 years, 36 elephants have died in train hits with the highest — 11 — in a year in 2012.
KS Anand, chief public relations officer (south-eastern railway) said, “It is an unfortunate incident and we are now planning to ensure that such incidents do not recur. However, we (railways) didn’t get the information at the right time, otherwise, instructions could have been passed on to the driver to check the speed.”
Principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) Sashi Paul refuted that there was delay in intimating the railways about elephant herd movement close to the railway track. “The forester of Joda section had intimated the railways about elephant movement at 4 pm according to our records. The incident took place at 7.25 pm. So, where was the delay? The investigation is ongoing. So far, we haven’t found any negligence on part of our men. If there is any laxity on the part of railways, we will initiate action, as deemed necessary,” Paul he told TOI.
In the elephant corridor areas, there is a protocol that the forest section will intimate the beat about elephant movement. The beat office (manned by a forest guard) will coordinate with railways of the nearby station regarding elephant movement based on which necessary tip is given to the driver to maintain caution.
“Train servies remained disrupted as the remaining members of the elephant herd, stayed put on the tracks and its adjoining areas,” Manish Kumar Pathak, senior divisional commercial manager of Chakradharpur railway division, said.
The accident affected the Tatanagar-Visakhapatnam weekly and Bhubaneshwar-Barbil intercity express trains.
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