Agartala, December 31: A 35-year-old wild elephant named Tumor, critically injured after being hit by a speeding train in Tripura’s Khowai district, succumbed to its injuries late Monday night despite intensive medical care, Akshay Balu Bhorde, District Forest Officer (DFO) confirmed on Tuesday.
The elephant was struck by a local train traveling from Agartala to Dharmanagar in the Shalbagan area under the Teliamura Forest Division on Saturday night.
The impact had left the jumbo with fractured hind legs, rendering it immobile.
Despite sustained efforts by veterinary doctors from the state animal hospital, including food and water provisions, the elephant’s condition deteriorated.
An expert team from Jamnagar, Gujarat, was scheduled to airlift the animal for advanced treatment, but it died before further assistance could arrive.
On Tuesday, a team of three veterinary doctors, accompanied by forest and wildlife officials, conducted a postmortem.
Following the examination, the elephant’s last rites were performed, and it was buried with proper procedures.
Local residents, who often face crop damage and property losses due to elephant attacks, expressed sorrow over the tragic death of the wild elephant.
Many villagers gathered near the site, mourning the loss and highlighting the need for better measures to prevent human-elephant conflicts while ensuring the safety of these majestic animals.
The Tripura Forest Department has filed an FIR with the Government Railway Police in Teliamura and lodged a formal complaint with the Northeast Frontier Railway’s Divisional Manager in Lumding, accusing the railway authorities of negligence.
Officials stated that the train was traveling at an estimated speed of 50 km/h—well above the 20 km/h limit prescribed for designated elephant corridors in the region.
Forest officials condemned the violation, emphasizing that the tragedy could have been avoided if the railway authorities had adhered to safety protocols.
This incident highlights a disturbing trend, as it is the second such case this year.
In February, another elephant was killed by a train in the same corridor, raising serious concerns about railway safety compliance in areas frequented by wildlife.
