West Bengal Driver Applies Brakes Just In Time To Save Elephant & Its Calf Crossing Train Track

The death of the elephant who was run over by a train in West Bengal sometime ago, created mass outrage. The video went viral and people questioned authorities¡¯ preparedness to save and protect wildlife that crosses rail tracks to get from one part of the forest to another. And that was not an isolated case.

IFS officers on Twitter mentioned how it regularly happened animals like elephants, who got struck down by fast-moving trains and died consequently.

_{Image Credit: Twitter}

However, there are some loco drivers who are alert at all times and take all measures to save wildlife when they can. In a video that has now gone viral, one can see a train stopped in its tracks, to allow an elephant and its calf to safely cross over to the other side.

This video is also from West Bengal, where man-animal conflict is quite common owing to the fact the train tracks mostly pass through jungles.

Elephant & it¡¯s calf saved yesterday by applying the emergency brake. Thanks to the alert driver. Some ask me why not build over bridges for elephants to cross over? Can be a limited solution for such long ranging animals. Linear projects in corridors throw multiple changes. pic.twitter.com/m76RPVKIvO

¡ª Susanta Nanda IFS (@susantananda3) November 30, 2019

The video was shared by IFS Susanta Nanda on Twitter with the caption, ¡®Elephant & it¡¯s calf saved yesterday by applying the emergency brake. Thanks to the alert driver¡¯.

If it was not for the alertness of the driver, the elephant and its calf might have been crushed to death or fatally injured.

Previously too, a train in West Bengal was halted at the right time to save an elephant from getting gravely injured. The official Twitter account of Alipurduar Division, N.F.Railway tweeted a video with the caption, 'Today morning at 8.30 hrs, #AlertCrew of 55726 Dn Sri Uttam Barua & D.D.Kumar suddenly noticed that a Wild Elephant was walking along the track at Km 71/7 betn NKB- CLD & stopped train immediately with Emergency brake'.

Today morning at 8.30 hrs, #AlertCrew of 55726 Dn Sri Uttam Barua & D.D.Kumar suddenly noticed that a Wild Elephant was walking along the track at Km 71/7 betn NKB- CLD & stopped train immediately with Emergency brake. @RailNf @wti_org_india @RailMinIndia pic.twitter.com/EkSFEW9KGe

¡ª DRM APDJ (@drm_apdj) October 14, 2019

Thanks to the mindfulness of these drivers, these elephants were saved in time. The loco pilot and all the other crew members who are responsible for saving the lives of these elephants, should be duly awarded.