Nature lovers ask NFR to control speed limit after 2 elephants mowed down

GUWAHATI: A day after two female elephants were mowed down by a speeding empty goods train near Deepor Beel on the outskirts of Guwahati, the wildlife activists of Assam have called upon the NFR to adopt measures to control speed limit for the safety of the animals. Talking to this reporter, Dipak Talukdar of NGO Aranyak said: "In 2004, three elephants were killed on train tracks in the same place. There was no fog that the driver could not see the herd of elephants. The NFR should adopt measures so that these kind of events are not repeated again." He also said every year 20-30 elephants were killed in Assam for several reasons.

Two female wild elephants, including a calf, were killed by a speeding goods train on Thursday night near Deepor Beel. State Chief Conservator of Forests MC Malakar told this reporter: "A herd of wild elephants was crossing the railway track when the train hit the last two animals around 12.35 am. The train usually slows down between Pillar No 163 and Pillar No 165. But the accident took place near Pillar No 168. The driver did not see the elephants because of a curve at that track."

The calf is about 2 to 3 years old while another is about nine years old. The calf was cut into pieces after it was dragged for about 200 meters. The other fell into a pond nearby and died of profuse bleeding," Malakar said.
The train was moving from Guwahati to New Bongaigaon via Golapara track at a speed of around 45 kms per hour.

CPRO of NFR T Rabha said: "The mishap is pathetic. Two wheels of the locomotive got derailed. The train movement was affected. But now we have cleared it."