9-year-old elephant dies after being hit by train

BELAGAVI: An elephant died after it was hit by a train near Tavargatti in Golihalli forest range of 
Khanapur taluk on wee hours of Monday.Forest authorities said that the female elephant was about nine years old. Dr G P Managoli, assistant director of the Animal Husbandry Department, performed the post-mortem on the elephant. Its last rites were performed in the afternoon. Krishna Udpudi, Chief Conservator of Forests; B V Patil, Deputy Conservator of Forests; M K Patrot, Assistant Conservator of  Forests (ACF); C B Patil, ACF and others were present.

In September 2015, an elephant calf  had been severely injured after being hit by a train in Nagargali forest range of Khanapur and it had succumbed to its injuries. In January 2016, an Indian Gaur was killed in a railway accident near Kerwal village in Londa forest range of Khanapur taluk.

Wildlife activists blamed the Railways for its failure to avert deaths of animals. They said, the area is part of an important elephant corridor of the Western Ghats. The activists also urged the Forest Department to file a case against the Railways for the same. Activist Giridhar Kulkarni lodged a complaint with the Union Environment Ministry.