Kerala Forest Department registers case against loco pilot for killing wild elephant

Palakkad (Kerala), May 7 (IANS) The Kerala Forest Department has registered a case against a loco pilot controlling the Chennai-bound Trivandrum Mail for knocking down a wild elephant, which later died due to the impact of getting hit by the moving train.

The female elephant, according to the Forest Department, was 35-years-old.

The incident occurred in the wee hours of Tuesday when the train was passing through the forest areas of Walayar-Kanjikode in Palakkad district.

After the train hit the wild elephant, she walked another 500 metres before falling down, and it was around 2.30 a.m. that the elephant was found dead.

According to the rules for loco pilots, while the train is passing through forest areas the train should travel at the speed of 20 to 25 kms per hour.

This is the second incident in past one year, when wild elephants have been knocked down in this area.