An elephant trying to cross the railway tracks in West Bengal, India was tragically hit by a train running through the Jalpaiguri district between Banarhat and Nagrakata
The Banarhat-Nagrakata route is notoriously known for causing elephant deaths as it is built in the middle of the jungle, making animals living there more vulnerable to getting hit. It has also killed and injured many wild animals ever since it was converted to a broad-gauge railway.
Source: YouTube
The incident happened at 8.30am on 27th September where a train collided with an elephant trying to cross the railway tracks. The elephant was dragged for 30 metres before it got stuck under the engine and the train came to a halt, reported Times of India.
A video that was captured after the accident took place shows the elephant, who suffered severe injuries on its legs and lower half of the body, trying to drag itself off the railway tracks towards the jungle. Witnesses surrounding the animal could only watch helplessly.
Source: YouTube
The engine of the train was damaged due to the impact of the collision, and train movement was suspended in the area for the day.
Meanwhile, Twitter reports say that medical help was provided for the elephant while a team stayed near it for the night.
Source: YouTube
Frequent accidents in the past had pushed forest officials to come up with solutions to this problem. In 2015 and 2016, trains were limited to the speed of 25km/h, which saw a decline in the number of elephant deaths and injuries.
Not long after, the speed limit was raised to 50km/h during the day.
However, despite the frequent checks and restrictions on speed limits, trains on the Banarhat-Nagrakata route have continued to kill elephants.
Here’s the full video:
Also read: Dead Baby Elephant in Sabah Found Shot & Tied to Tree, Allegedly Left in River to Feed Crocodiles
