Speeding train kills elephant near Guwahati; 3rd incident this year

In September, a female elephant and her calf were killed and few days back another elephant died in the Tinsukia division.

Updated on: Dec 11, 2020, 17:12:39 IST

Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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An adult male elephant was killed by a speeding train on the outskirts of Guwahati in the wee hours of Friday.

Local residents offer prayers to the wild elephant killed by a speeding train near Guwahati on Friday morning. (Sourced)

According to Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) officials, the incident took place between Digaru and Panbari stations around 3:30 am when the Agartala Rajdhani (Special) was passing through.

“Around 11 pm on Thursday night, we were informed by the local forest official about elephant movement on the elephant corridor in that area. We took all necessary precautions,” said S Chanda, CPRO, NFR.

“The forest official informed at 3 am on Friday that the elephants have moved away from the site. The incident took place 30 minutes after that, outside the designated elephant corridor. The train halted for nearly 20 minutes before proceeding towards Agartala,” he added.

Also Read: Carcass of wild elephant in Assam tests positive for Anthrax

This is the third instance of wild elephants getting killed by speeding trains in Assam. In September, a female elephant and her calf were killed and few days back another elephant died in the Tinsukia division.

In October, forest officials had seized a railway locomotive for an incident involving a female elephant and its calf---the first such instance in the country.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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