Another jumbo dies on tracks

BHUBANESWAR/KEONJHAR: Close on the heels of death of nine elephants in the State in less than a month, another female elephant was killed in a train accident in Keonjhar on Wednesday.As per reports, a goods train hit the elephant at Ramachandrapur under Naranpur forest beat area of Sadar forest range, 25 kms from Keonjhar, while she was crossing the track at around 10.15 pm.

Sources said, the goods train was detained at the spot while rail services were disrupted on the route after the incident as the carcass of the jumbo could not be removed from the track immediately. 

Senior forest official rushed to the spot. The railway officials, however, couldn’t be reached for their comments on the issue.With this incident the total number of elephant deaths in the State has reached to 10 in barely 24 days.

Earlier, seven elephants were killed due to electrocution in Dhenkanal on October 27 while two more elephant deaths were  reported from Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts in the first week of November.