A goods train carrying coal was halted for over two hours on a forested railway route in Jharkhand to allow a pregnant elephant in labour to give birth safely on the tracks. The incident occurred between Barkakana and Hazaribag stations on the Ranchi-Koderma via Barkakana route under the jurisdiction of Eastern Central Railway.
Train stopped to ensure elephant’s safety
The event took place two weeks ago but came to public attention only recently after a video recorded by a forest guard and local residents went viral on Tuesday. The track, which passes through a dense forest area, is primarily used for freight traffic, and no passenger trains were affected during the stoppage.
Forest officials intervened promptly after receiving an alert about the elephant's condition. Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Ramgarh, Nitish Kumar, said the department acted quickly to protect the animal and her newborn. "At 3 am, our forest guard informed me that a pregnant female elephant is lying on the tracks with labour pain. He also warned that it might get run over by a train and requested me to stop all train movement along the route. I immediately contacted the railway control room in Barkakana and directed them to stop all trains, following which the movement of trains was stopped for two hours," Kumar said.
Mother and calf safe after delivery
Following the halt, forest personnel and local residents ensured a safe environment for the elephant to deliver. Both the mother and calf were later reported to be safe and in good health, according to forest officials.
Man-elephant conflict a persistent issue in Jharkhand
The incident highlights the ongoing challenges of human-animal interactions in the state. Former Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Kriti Vardhan Singh, informed the Lok Sabha that Jharkhand reported 474 human fatalities due to man-elephant conflict over the past five years—second only to Odisha.
Additionally, 30 elephants have died in Jharkhand between 2019 and July 2024 due to various causes, including electrocution, collisions with trains, and conflict with humans, Parliament was told.
(With inputs from TOI)
Train stopped to ensure elephant’s safety
The event took place two weeks ago but came to public attention only recently after a video recorded by a forest guard and local residents went viral on Tuesday. The track, which passes through a dense forest area, is primarily used for freight traffic, and no passenger trains were affected during the stoppage.
Forest officials intervened promptly after receiving an alert about the elephant's condition. Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Ramgarh, Nitish Kumar, said the department acted quickly to protect the animal and her newborn. "At 3 am, our forest guard informed me that a pregnant female elephant is lying on the tracks with labour pain. He also warned that it might get run over by a train and requested me to stop all train movement along the route. I immediately contacted the railway control room in Barkakana and directed them to stop all trains, following which the movement of trains was stopped for two hours," Kumar said.
Beyond the news of human-animal conflicts, happy to share this example of human-animal harmonious existence.
— Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) July 9, 2025
A train in Jharkhand waited for two hours as an elephant delivered her calf. The đź“ą shows how the two later walked on happily.
Following a whole-of government approach,… pic.twitter.com/BloyChwHq0
Mother and calf safe after delivery
Following the halt, forest personnel and local residents ensured a safe environment for the elephant to deliver. Both the mother and calf were later reported to be safe and in good health, according to forest officials.
Man-elephant conflict a persistent issue in Jharkhand
The incident highlights the ongoing challenges of human-animal interactions in the state. Former Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Kriti Vardhan Singh, informed the Lok Sabha that Jharkhand reported 474 human fatalities due to man-elephant conflict over the past five years—second only to Odisha.
Additionally, 30 elephants have died in Jharkhand between 2019 and July 2024 due to various causes, including electrocution, collisions with trains, and conflict with humans, Parliament was told.
(With inputs from TOI)
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