Three elephants were killed after a speeding train engine rammed into them in Assam’s Nagaon district on Saturday.
The engine hit the elephants, including a pregnant one, who were crossing tracks in Potiyapam area of Kampur killing two of them on the spot. The third jumbo died later, a district administration official said.
Forest Minister Pramila Rani Brahma directed the Forest Department to file an FIR against the Railways. “Strong action will be taken against the Railways as they have not taken the issue seriously. I have ordered an inquiry into the incident,” the official added. The Forest Minister also directed the railways to limit the speed of trains to 15 km/hour.
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“The Railways maintain speed restrictions of 40 km/hour in areas earmarked as elephant corridors but this particular area between Jamunamukh and Kampur railway stations is not earmarked as a notified elephant corridor by the Forest Department,” a North East Frontier Railway spokesman said.