Four suspended for elephant deaths in Odisha

Rayagada: Four forest officials were suspended in connection with death of four elephants after being run over by a train in Jharsuguda of Odisha on Monday.

The tragic incident occurred in between Bamra and Bagdihi railway stations in the district while the jumbos were corssing a level-crossing.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sushant Kumar suspended forester Basant Pradhan and 3 forest guards- Sunil Bhue, Biswanath Pradhan, Rohit Majhi the forest guard and forester for negligence while serving a show cause notice to the range officer (RO).

Notably, the Howrah-Mumbai Mail 12810 hit the jumbos at 3.30am and the driver of the train reported the matter to the Jharsuguda station master at 3.45am.

The jumbos killed included a tusker, one female and two calves (one male and one female). They were hit by the train at Teladiah level-crossing under Chakradharpur railway division limits while scouring for food.