A tiger was found dead on the railway tracks near Nallamala forests close to Nandyal town in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district in the early hours of Friday, forest officials said.
The incident took place at Tunnel No. 1 near Chelama railway station on the Nandyal-Giddalur route. Acting on a tip-off by the locals, forest officials rushed to the spot and recovered the body.
“Prima facie, it has been established that it was an accidental death. The tiger appears to have been run over by a speeding goods train. The forest officials of Nandyal range have taken the body to the veterinary hospital for post mortem,” Giddalur divisional forest officer G Sateesh said.
A retired forest official of Kurnool district, who preferred anonymity, said the Nandyal-Guntur railway route passing through Nallamala forests has been very dangerous for wild animals.
“This is not the first time that a tiger has been run over by a train. In April 2019, too, a tiger came under the wheels of a speeding train. Many other animals including monkeys, panthers and bears met with accidents in the last few years,” he said.
Nandyal forest division comprises Gundla Bramheswaram wildlife sanctuary, which is home to tigers. The stretch between Gundla Bramheswaram and Vonitimitta in Kadapa district was identified as a tiger corridor witnessing frequent movement of tigers.
{{/usCountry}}Nandyal forest division comprises Gundla Bramheswaram wildlife sanctuary, which is home to tigers. The stretch between Gundla Bramheswaram and Vonitimitta in Kadapa district was identified as a tiger corridor witnessing frequent movement of tigers.
{{/usCountry}}“The only way to prevent such accidents on the route is to avoid operating trains during the night and reduce the speed of the trains,” the retired official said.