The 20-year-old female elephant died after being hit by the Kanyakumari-Assam Vivek Express at around 3 am on Friday, at Vadhyar Challa near Walayar. The Forest Department officials have rushed to the spot and are investigating.
A 20-year-old female elephant died after being hit by the Kanyakumari-Assam bound Vivek Express at around 3 am on Friday, at Vadhyar Challa near Walayar, on the Kerala border.
The elephant was tragically killed on the 512th km stretch between Kanjikode and Walayar. Kerala Forest Department officials rushed to the spot and are investigating the accident.
Between Tamil Nadu and Kerala, goods and passenger trains are operated daily via Coimbatore. On this route, the railway line passes through a forest area for about 12 km from Madukkarai to Walayar.Wild elephants emerging out of the forest area and crossing the tracks is a common occurence. Of late, there have been casualties due to this.
A few months ago, three elephants were killed after being hit by a train near Walayar. Following this, the Forest Department and the Railways decided to install CCTV cameras and sound on the railway tracks to track the movement of elephants. On Thursday night, 17 elephants arrived at Kottampatti between Walayar and Kanjikode in Kerala. Thereafter, the herd of elephants tried to cross the railway tracks at around 3.40 am on Friday just when the Vivek Express from Kanyakumari to Assam was hurtling through.
Among the herd of elephants, a 20-year-old female elephant was run over by the train and died on the spot while trying to cross the tracks.A calf is also reported to have been injured but has moved up the Vadasseri hill along with the herd.
The train driver informed the Railways and the Forest Department about the tragic incident. The Forest Department which reached the spot are presently investigating the incident and trying to ascertain if the train was operating at a high speed on this stretch.
The elephant was tragically killed on the 512th km stretch between Kanjikode and Walayar. Kerala Forest Department officials rushed to the spot and are investigating the accident.
Between Tamil Nadu and Kerala, goods and passenger trains are operated daily via Coimbatore. On this route, the railway line passes through a forest area for about 12 km from Madukkarai to Walayar.Wild elephants emerging out of the forest area and crossing the tracks is a common occurence. Of late, there have been casualties due to this.
A few months ago, three elephants were killed after being hit by a train near Walayar. Following this, the Forest Department and the Railways decided to install CCTV cameras and sound on the railway tracks to track the movement of elephants. On Thursday night, 17 elephants arrived at Kottampatti between Walayar and Kanjikode in Kerala. Thereafter, the herd of elephants tried to cross the railway tracks at around 3.40 am on Friday just when the Vivek Express from Kanyakumari to Assam was hurtling through.
Among the herd of elephants, a 20-year-old female elephant was run over by the train and died on the spot while trying to cross the tracks.A calf is also reported to have been injured but has moved up the Vadasseri hill along with the herd.
The train driver informed the Railways and the Forest Department about the tragic incident. The Forest Department which reached the spot are presently investigating the incident and trying to ascertain if the train was operating at a high speed on this stretch.