Keonjhar: Three elephants, including two calves, died after they were hit by a goods train near Bansapani under Joda forest section of Champua range in Odisha’s Keonjhar district on Thursday.
The elephants were hit when a herd of 22 elephants was crossing the Bansapani railway line at around 7.30 pm on Thursday, according to reports.
One of the injured calves died on Thursday night, while a female elephant and another calf died on Friday morning.
Joda forest officials rushed to the spot but could not provide timely treatment to the injured elephants as the other 19 elephants of the herd guarded the injured animals and did not move.
“The Forest Department was aware of the movement of the herd in the area. Officials were monitoring their movement throughout the day. The railways too was informed. The train was moving at less than 25 kmph when the accident took place. The mishap took place due to extreme darkness,” Keonjhar DFO Dhanraj HD told Sambad.
