Sundargarh/Rajgangpur: A wild elephant was killed after being hit by a train in Sundargarh district in the wee hours of Thursday, Forest officials said. The accident took place between Sonakhan and Sagara railway stations on the Mumbai-Howrah rail route under Rajgangpur forest range of Rourkela forest division, they said. “The animal, estimated to be 40 to 45 years old, was a tuskless bull (makhna) elephant,” said Rajgangpur forest range officer Gurucharan Mandal.
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The carcass was buried in the spot after conducting a post-mortem Thursday evening. The incident occurred around 5:15am when the Garib Rath Express from Bhubaneswar hit the elephant as it was crossing the tracks, according to forest officials. On being informed, Rourkela Divisional Forest Officer P Ram Swami, Rourkela Divisional Forest Officer Jashobant Sethi, Rajgangpur Forest Ranger Gurucharan Mandal and a veterinary team rushed to the spot. The elephant was lifted by crane and taken to Sagara for treatment, but it succumbed to its injuries later in the afternoon.