A ten-year-old male elephant was on Friday run over and killed by a running train near Digaru on the outskirts of Guwahati, forest department officials said.
The up Anand Vihar-Agartala Weekly Passenger Special Train hit the pachyderms in the early morning on Friday when the train was passing through an elephant movement area.
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The incident took place at Balijan, between Panbari and Digaru stations.
The carcass of the elephant, which died on the spot, has been sent for post-mortem examination.
“An enquiry of the accident has been initiated. The fault of railway department or forest field staff is also being looked into,” said a forest official.
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With elephant corridors getting squeezed due to encroachment, more and more elephants are straying to human habitations for food and getting run over by speeding trains.
On September 27 last, a goods train ran over a 35-year-old female elephant and her baby while they were crossing a railway track in Lumding.
The calf’s carcass was found at a distance of one kilometre from its mother, indicating that the train was speeding in the reserve forest.
Two train drivers and a staff member were subsequently suspended.