Assam: 7 wild jumbos die in two separate incident, 6 including a pregnant elephant mowed down by passenger train
Guwahati, Dec 10 (IBNS): Seven wild jumbos died in Assam in a single day which included a pregnant elephant.
In a tragic incident in northern Assam’s Sonitpur district, six elephants including one pregnant elephant were mowed down by a passenger train near Balipara area in the wee hours of Sunday.
The incident took place at Bamgaon tea estate under Chariduar police station near Balipara area in the central Assam district, around 210 km from Guwahati at around 1-15 am on Sunday.
The 15617 Guwahati-Naharlagun Donyi Polo express train hit the wild jumbos while the herd had crossed the railway track in search of food.
A still born calf was later extracted from the pregnant elephant.
Following the incident, the passenger train had to stop for several hours.
Wildlife workers and veterinarians arrived at the area and performed autopsies on the elephants before burying them at nearby field.
Meanwhile, local people staged protest against the state forest department to fail to protect wild elephants.
Earlier two elephants died after a speeding 15909 Awadh Assam express hit them at Thakurkuchi near Chandrapur area, outskirts of Guwahati in last month.
On the other hand, another elephant died in mysterious condition at Kafitoli area near Kathiatoli in central Assam’s Nagaon district on Sunday.
According to the reports, at least 30 wild elephants were killed by speeding trains in the north eastern Indian state since 2016.
Over 80 wild jumbos were hit and killed by trains in Assam in past six years.
Secen wild elephants were hit and killed by running trains in Assam in 2011, while 6 in 2012, 19 in 2013, 5 in 2014, 9 in 2015 and 16 in 2016.
As per census conducted in 2011, Assam registered highest number of wild elephants in the country with 5620.
(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
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