Train hit kills 7 jumbos

TT, Nov. 13: At least seven elephants died after a passenger train bound for Assam rammed into them in the Chapramari wildlife sanctuary in Jalpaiguri this evening.

Forest department sources said a herd of around 40 elephants was crossing railway tracks near a bridge in the wildlife sanctuary, about 65km from Siliguri, around 5.30pm when the Jaipur-Kamakhya Kabiguru Express hit them.

The train has been stopped at the accident spot and foresters are looking for elephants that may have been injured but are roaming in the nearby forests.

The mangled body of one of the elephants — two were calves and five adults — has got stuck under the engine of the train.

“The area is a known elephant crossing zone and trains are supposed to move at low speed and whistle continuously while moving through such areas. But preliminary information shows that at least seven elephants have died which indicates the train was not running at low speed,” state forest minister Hiten Burman said.

According to guidelines framed jointly by the forest department and the Union railway ministry, trains are supposed to run at speeds not more than 40kmph.

Minister Burman said: “Squads have been mobilised in nearby forests as we suspect some more elephants might have suffered injuries and are in the forest now. Regarding the accident, we will surely take up the issue with railway officials.”

Chapramari is in Jalpaiguri district and known for its elephants.

Since 2002, when the Dooars rail track connecting Siliguri Junction with Alipurduar was converted to broad gauge, around 40 elephants have died in accidents.

On September 23, 2010, seven elephants died when a train had rammed into a herd near Moraghat Tea Estate, located around 20km from today’s site.

Again on May 31 this year, three elephants died after a train hit them, again in Moraghat.

“One of the elephants got entangled to the train engine,” a forest source said.

As the Kabiguru Express has been halted at the accident spot, a relief train has been dispatched from Alipurduar to take the stranded passengers to their destination.

Other trains that were supposed to take the route were diverted to the New Jalpaiguri-Jalpaiguri Road-Falakata-New Cooch Behar route, railway sources said.

Joakim Buxla, the former MP of Alipurduar and a Trinamul leader who was traveling in the train, said: “The driver had pulled the brakes and tried to stop the train but still some elephants were hit. After the accident, as the train came to a halt, elephants in herds surrounded the train and started trumpeting. Their cry frightened the passengers. Nobody dared to get down from their coaches.”