GUWAHATI: The Assam forest department, in an unprecedented move, seized a railway engine from the Bamunimaidan railway yard here on Tuesday for mowing down two elephants in a reserve forest under Lumding division in Hojai district last month.
The railway authorities had vigorously pursued the matter and instituted an inquiry under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 into the deaths of a female elephant and her calf by a goods train between Patharkhula and Lamsakhang Railway Station on the midnight of September 27 last.
“Railway engine (loco engine number 12440 WDG4) has been seized from the possession of senior divisional mechanical engineer, New Guwahati, Chandra Mohan Tiwari, at Bamunimaidan railway Yard,” a statement issued here on Wednesday said.
The seizure operation was conducted under the supervision of Nalini Kumar Kalita, Forester-1 of Lumding Forest Range, Lumding under Nagaon South Division, Hojai.
The seized locomotive was later given back to the custody of Senior DME/Diesel/New Guwahati in view of the continuity of essential services to the public and others.
Meanwhile, state forest and environment minister Parimal Suklabaidya said the department would not fail to take tough measures against the railways in connection to elephant deaths on tracks.
“The killing of elephants on the railway tracks must stop forthwith,” Suklabaidya asserted.
Elephant deaths on railway tracks keep recurring in Assam despite speed restrictions and meetings between forest and railway officials to prevent such mishaps.