COIMBATORE: A makhna elephant escaped in the nick of time from getting hit by a speeding train at Pillayarpuram near Madukkarai recently. The video of the incident went viral on Wednesday. Sources in the forest department said Pillayarpuram, which is situated 10 km from Ettimadai. is not the regular route used by elephants unlike Ettimadai where elephant movement is common.
The incident took place on February 22 around 8.30am when the animal that had strayed into the city from Sethumadai near Pollachi got on the railway track after quenching his thirst in a check dam nearby.
Alert forest department staff sensed the danger and made loud noises and burst fire crackers to force get off the track,
Their efforts paid off as the elephant got down just as a train from Palakkad speeding towards Coimbatore passed the spot. “The animal was very clever and got off the track after hearing the train's horn approaching behind him. What was disturbing was the loco pilot repeatedly honked instead of slowing down,” said a forest department officer.
Commenting on the incident. Tenkasi-based RTI activist R Pandiraja said, “The railways has assured that trains will be operated at 65 kmph during day and 45 kmph during night for the safety of the elephants passing between Madukkarai and Palakkad junctions. From the video, it is evident that the train was travelling very fast.