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Train halts as elephant crosses tracks, IFS officer shares rare act of compassion
A train stopped to let an elephant retreat safely. IFS officer Parveen Kaswan posted the video, saluting the crew for timely braking.
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A potentially dangerous encounter on a railway track transformed into a heartwarming display of compassion when a train came to a halt, allowing an elephant to cross safely and return unharmed to the forest.
(Also read: Train stops for 2 hours as elephant gives birth on tracks: ‘Harmonious existence’)
The rare sight was captured on video and shared by Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Parveen Kaswan. The clip shows the elephant strolling along the tracks before suddenly quickening its pace and letting out a shriek, apparently after noticing the train approaching.
A pause, then a peaceful retreat
As the train slowed down and eventually stopped, the elephant appeared to pause, seemingly startled at first. After a brief moment, the gentle giant turned calmly and made its way back into the forest, avoiding a potentially tragic accident.
Sharing the video on social media, Kaswan praised the crew for their quick action. “LP Shri S. Toppo and ALP Shri S. Haldar deserves a salute. For they timely applied brake and saved this giant. On Wednesday, somewhere in North Bengal,” he wrote in his post.
The video has since garnered nearly 29,000 views and has sparked several comments from viewers.
A pattern of humanity on the rails
This is not the first time Indian Railways has paused its operations for elephants. In an earlier incident in Jharkhand, a train came to an unexpected yet heartwarming halt when an elephant went into labour on the tracks.
According to reports, the train remained stationary for over two hours, allowing the mother elephant to deliver her calf safely. Once the birth was complete, the mother and baby ambled away peacefully into the forest, unharmed and undisturbed.
Watch the clip here:
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav had then shared the remarkable video on X, highlighting the significance of such moments. “Beyond the news of human-animal conflicts, happy to share this example of human-animal harmonious existence. A train in Jharkhand waited for two hours as an elephant delivered her calf. The video shows how the two later walked on happily,” he wrote.
