Train kills elephant

TT, Alipurduar, May 7: An elephant was knocked down by the Siliguri-Alipurduar Junction Intercity express at Madarihat tonight.

According to railway sources, the train had just departed the Madarihat station at 9.50pm and started picking up speed. "A makna (male without tusks) was trying to cross the tracks and it was hit by the train. The animal fell beside the tracks and died," said a source.

The makna was part of a herd of seven to 10 elephants. Madarihat is 50km from Alipurduar.

Benofis Lakra, the additional divisional railway manager, Alipurduar, said train drivers were always cautious while passing through forests and today, the elephants couldn't be spotted because of rain.

Since 2003, 61 elephants have been run over by trains on the Alipurduar Junction-Siliguri section.