Another Elephant killed by Train
10 November, 2007
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Another Elephant killed by Train
Torment on tracks
The Telegraph, 10 November 2007
An elephant was hit by a train at 3am on Friday in Buxa Tiger Reserve near Rajabhatkhawa station, 18km from Alipurduar town. The fully-grown male died at 7.35pm after 16 excruciating hours, the ninth elephant killed in train-hits after gauge conversion in the section three years ago.
The elephant was one of 28 fitted out with GPS collars to track their movements, but the collar's battery ran out early this year. The engine's horns scared and confused the animal which made a run for the tracks. "It had been eating banana trees near the railway lines," said a forest official.
The veterinary surgeon who attended to the elephant said its rectum and lower tip of the spine were badly damaged. "Both back legs were paralysed."
Railway officials said the train "failed to stop as the animal appeared suddenly". Some 100 protesters blocked the tracks for over two hours in the afternoon.
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