RAIPUR: Following a train collision that left an elephant critically injured in the Raigarh Forest Division, about 200 km east of Raipur. Chhattisgarh's Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Arun Pandey, has ordered an inquiry to investigate the incident and overhaul wildlife safety protocols along railway lines.
The accident occurred within the Gharghoda Forest Range in Raigarh. After receiving news of the collision, senior forest officials rushed to the site to deploy an emergency medical team and coordinate treatment for the injured animal.
To uncover the accident’s cause and fix systemic gaps, the PCCF has formed a specialised three-member inquiry committee. The panel will be headed by Priyanka Pandey, the In-Charge Chief Wildlife Warden and Field Director of the Achanakmar Tiger Reserve in Bilaspur.
Joining the panel are Arvind PM, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Raigarh Division, and Jitendra Kumar Upadhyay, DFO Dharamjaigarh Division.
The PCCF directed the committee to thoroughly inspect the crash site and submit a comprehensive report within two weeks.
Taking a broader stance on wildlife safety, the PCCF has issued a mandate to all forest divisions within the Circles that intersect with railway networks. These divisions have been asked to effectively coordinate with railway authorities to fast-track the installation of speed-restriction signage and other critical safety infrastructure.
Forest officials emphasised that this inquiry is a critical step toward identifying blind spots on the tracks. Moving forward, the department aims to reinforce preventive mechanisms, mitigate human-wildlife conflict, and drastically reduce railway-related elephant casualties in the region.
Chhattisgarh currently has a roaming elephant population of around 450. Raigarh along with Jashpur, Korba, and Surajpur are the districts in the state experiencing increased elephant activity.