Four elephants died after a speeding train ran over them in Odisha’s Jharsuguda district early on Monday.
Forest officials said they had asked railway authorities to ensure the trains reduce their speed at the railway crossing near Bagdihi railway station, The Hindu reported.
“Although there was no elephant movement in the area for the past three to four months, railway authorities were duly informed to reduce train speed in that section,” Sushant Kumar, Divisional Forest Officer of Jharsuguda Territorial Division, told the daily.
The railways were yet to issue a statement on the accident.
Kumar said the accident took place around 3.30 am when a herd of elephants was crossing the railway line. The herd included a calf too, officials told ANI.
Train movement was reportedly stalled for a few hours as forest officials tried to remove the bodies with the help of cranes.
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