Elephant mowed down by train near New Jalpaiguri

JALPAIGURI: An elephant was killed in the wee hours on Sunday on the railway track between New Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar Junction when it was hit by a Guwahati-bound goods train.
The incident happened at around 2.33am near Sishubari, on the outskirts of Dalgaon forest in Birpara in Alipurduar district. The carcass was dragged for about 250m before the train's cow catcher tossed it off the railway track."It is surprising how the driver could not spot the tusker crossing the track as there is no turn there. We will lodge an FIR against the Railways," said Bimal Debnath, assistant wild life warden (AWLW) of Jaldapara national park.
The AWLW also that it was decided in a meeting with the railways to stop long distance goods trains on this stretch after dusk. "But contrary to that, the train was run on this route and that too in high speed. Had the train been slow, the driver could have stopped in time and saved the elephant," he added.
"The most tragic part of it is that persons at the helm of affairs are not really interested in sorting the problem out. Similar incidents are continuing and yet the Railways are indifferent to the issue," said Raja Raut, secretary of Jalpaiguri Science and Nature Club.
ADRM of Alipurduar division, R K Makoyani claimed that the driver had applied the brakes after seeing the animal, but could not save the tusker.
He blamed the forest department saying that the department had not informed them about the elephant crossing.An elephant was killed in the wee hours on Sunday on the railway track between New Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar Junction. railway stations cutting through the forestlands and tea gardens in the Dooars and Terai traversing a distance of 168 km. A fully grown tusker was killed after it was hit by a speeding Guwahati bound goods train.
The incident happened at around 2.33 a.m. near Sishubari, on the outskirts of Dalgaon forest in Birpara in Alipurduar district. A herd of elephants was crossing the railway track when the train enroute Guwahati hit the jumbo. The body of the elephant was dragged to some 250 meters before the cow catcher of the engine finally tossed the body off the railway track.
"It is surprising how the driver of the train could not spot the tusker crossing the track as there is no turn there and the line is straight. We will lodge an FIR against the Railways," said Bimal Debnath, Assistant Wild Life Warden (AWLW) of Jaldapara national park.
The AWLW further claimed that it was decided in a meeting with the railways that they would not run long distance goods train on this particular stretch of track after dusk. "But contrary to that the train was run on this route and that too in high speed. Had the train been running slow, the driver could have slowed down on time and saved the elephant," he added.
All the naturist organizations have time and again requested the Railways to stop running of trains on this track in the night hours and shift those on the parallel track that passes through Jalpaiguri, Falakata. But all appeals have fallen on deaf ears.
"The most tragic part of it is that persons at the helm of affairs are not really interested in sorting the problem out. The same incident is going on happening and yet the Railways are indifferent to the issue," said Raja Raut, secretary of Jalpaiguri Science and Nature Club.
When this track was being converted into broad gauge from meter gauge in 2002, nature lovers had protested against the move of the railway department. The WWF had also filed a case at the Calcutta High Court.
The Calcutta High Court had given the permission for the gauge conversion and asked the railway department to follow certain directives so that it did not prove fatal for the animals. But the norms are hardly followed.
The ADRM of Alipurduar division, R K Makoyani claimed that the driver of the goods train had pulled the brake after seeing the animal crossing the track, but could not save the tusker. He put the blame on the forest department saying that the department had not informed them about the elephant crossing the track.