A day after the speeding Kabiguru Express mowed down a passing herd of wild elephants, four Kumki elephants have been deployed in the Jalpaiguri Forest Division to search for more bodies and injured jumbos. The condition of an injured calf is said to be critical.
According to Sumita Ghatak, DFO Jalpaiguri Wildlife Division-2, since the herd had around 40-45 members, it is quite possible that more carcasses may be found scattered along the tracks in the forest. A four-member medical team is treating the injured calf, she said.
AIG Ministry of Environment and Forest, who is in-charge of Project Elephant, is leaving for the site on Friday. Project Elephant has been without a full-time head for almost a year.
The West-Bengal Forest Department, headed by the State Minister and other senior officials met in the evening to review the situation at Chapramari Forest Bungalow.
Sources in the State Forest Department claimed the speed of the train was not within the prescribed limit of 25-30 kmph. They cited the statement of a passenger, who put the speed of the train at around 80 kmph. “Such incidents will continue to occur unless speed restrictions are seriously followed,” they said.
Angry residents of the area, who were shocked by the scale of the tragedy, blocked railway tracks in Jalpaiguri town for about one hour on Thursday to protest against the incident. They demanded that the speed of trains passing through the Chapramari wildlife sanctuary stretch be restricted to 25-40 kmph.
According to local environmentalist, Anirban Mazumdar such accidents keep happening and all that takes place are a series of high-level meetings and then the issue is forgotten.
However, it is crucial that a decision be made soon as this part of the forest has become a death corridor for the elephants. “We have decided to assemble at New Mal Junction on Friday to meet the DRM of Alipurduar and urge him to stop the passage of express trains on the route from 5 pm to 5 am,” he added.