Speeding practice knocks down, kills two elephants in Khurda forest division in Odisha

By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: At least two elephants have been killed after being hit by a rushing practice close to Bhusandapur within the Khurda forest division on Saturday night.

Forest officers confirmed {that a} feminine and a sub-adult male elephant succumbed to the accidents within the tragic accident which occurred at round 6.50 pm when a herd of 19 elephants was passing over the railway line close to Bhusandapur degree crossing.

While 17 members of the herd managed to cross the monitor safely, two elephants have been reportedly hit by a items practice.

The forest staff which was monitoring the motion of the herd on discipline initially assumed it to be a minor accident as one of many elephants was seen limping to the forest together with the herd.

Later it was confirmed that one of many elephants died a number of metres away from the spot, whereas the opposite limped to the forest and was discovered lifeless on Sunday morning.

Confirming the dying of the 2 elephants within the practice collision, Khurda Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Poornima P stated that the carcasses of the jumbos shall be disposed off after completion of the autopsy.

The DFO additional stated that the matter is being investigated and they’re in contact with the railway officers on this regard.

Earlier, PCCF Shashi Paul had knowledgeable TNIE that the forest staff on the sector had issued a warning order to the loco-pilot upfront to look out for the jumbo herd within the space and decelerate the practice.

The Khurda DFO additionally stated {that a} warning order is issued on the stretch often to alert practice drivers relating to the motion of the elephant herd within the space.

This is the second such mishap within the state this yr. Earlier, two elephants had been killed in a practice accident close to Mahipani in Sundargarh district on February 4 during which a parcel van had hit two feminine jumbos on the Down line between Bhalulata-Jaraikela below South Eastern Railway (SER) division.

Forest and Environment minister Bikram Keshari Arukha had knowledgeable the state meeting on December 7 that no less than 14 elephants had been mowed down by trains within the final 5 years between 2016-17 and 2020-21.