Agartala, December 31, 2024: A 35-year-old wild male elephant succumbed to injuries after being hit by a speeding train in the Tripura’s Teliamura subdivision of Khowai district. The incident occurred on Saturday night when a local train from Agartala to Dharmanagar struck the elephant in the Shalbagan area under the Teliamura forest division.

The collision left the elephant with broken hind legs, rendering it immobile. Despite the swift intervention from the Teliamura Forest Department and the Animal Resource Development Department, who provided primary treatment and worked tirelessly to save the elephant, their efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. The elephant passed away around 9 pm last night.

“The team had worked around the clock to treat the critically injured elephant, but the severity of the injuries was too much to overcome,” commented an official from the forest department.

In the aftermath of the incident, a post-mortem examination was conducted today by three veterinary doctors in the presence of officials from the Animal Resource Development Department. The deceased elephant was later buried in a designated site.

The tragic event has prompted the Tripura Forest Department to take legal action, filing an FIR at the GRP police station in Teliamura. Additionally, they lodged a formal complaint with the Divisional Manager of the North East Frontier Railway in Lumding. The Forest Department has accused the railway authorities of negligence, holding them responsible for the elephant’s death due to the lack of adequate preventive measures.

The loss of this majestic creature underscores the pressing need for effective wildlife protection measures, especially in areas where train tracks intersect with wildlife habitats. This heartbreaking incident serves as a poignant reminder of the human-wildlife conflict and the urgent need for solutions to safeguard both the animals and the people living in close proximity to their habitats.