Chakradharpur DRM orders probe, relief team sent to accident scene
Mail News Service
Jamshedpur, May 20: Three elephants, including two calves, were killed when a goods train carrying iron ore ran them over while they were crossing the railway lines between Jaroli and Banspani railway stations under Chakradharpur rail division in Chaibasa-Barbil rail section on Thursday evening.
Officials said the elephants, part of a herd of around 25 elephants, were crossing Bansapani railway line under Joda forest section in Champua range around 8 pm when the train knocked them down, leaving them critically injured.
Passenger trains were not affected by the incident. However, movement of goods trains was affected for over 10 hours, sources said.
Chakradharpur Divisional Rail Manager (DRM) Vijay Kumar Sahu ordered a probe into the incident. A relief team with 140 ton capacity crane was sent to the accident scene. Four hooters were sounded at the Chakradharpur divisional railway office after the mishap.
According to Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (DCM) of Chakradharpur rail division, Manish Kumar Pathak, “There were certainly some loopholes which led to the mishap. Had the forest department given prior information regarding the elephants, the deaths could have been prevented.”
Railway officials are learnt to be mulling over strategy to prevent such mishaps in future, sources said.
Soon after getting information of the mishap, forest officials reached the accident scene but could not provide treatment to the injured pachyderms as their herd guarded the spot and did not allow anyone to come near it. One injured calf died on Thursday night, while the other calf and a female elephant succumbed to their injuries early today, officials said.
As per Keonjhar divisional forest officer (DFO) DR Dhamdheere, “The forest department had information regarding presence of a herd in the locality, following which officials had kept a close watch on their movement. “Railway officials were also intimated about the herd in order that the train’s speed should not exceed 35 kmph. But the mishap happened due to darkness,” said the DFO.
In the past decade, as many as 36 elephants have died on the railway tracks in Odisha. The last accident was reported in December 2021, when an elephant couple were run down by a goods train in Khurda district.
