"Railway is fully responsible for the death of the elephants after being run over by Coromandel Express at Subalaya in Ganjam district. The train was running at a very high speed despite prior warning by forest officials," state Forest and Environment Minister Bijayshri Routray said.
After holding a meeting with senior rail and forest officials, Routray said railways failed to take any safety measure though the forest range officer of Khalikote Range had written a letter to the Divisional Railway Manager, Khurda Road, on December 18 about movement of elephant herd in the area.
The letter sought instructions to concerned railway staff, train drivers and to the control room for movement of trains from railway post 557/21-22 to 568/78 at slow speed and due precautions from Rambha to Humma stations, he said. More