Under the Wildlife Protection Act, a Railway Engine (loco engine no.- 12440 WDG4) was seized from Bamunimaidan Railway Yard on Tuesday. The Engine was seized for killing two elephants on September 27 under the schedule 1(12B) of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
The seized engine was in the possession of Senior DME, New Guwahati, Chandra Mohan Tiwari at Bamunimaidan Railway Yard. The whole operation was conducted under the supervision of Nalini Kumar Kalita, Forester-1 of Lumding Forest Range, Lumding which is Nagaon South Divison, Hojai.
The engine was later returned back to the custody of Chandra Mohan to carry out essential services to the public.
Following the investigation, IFS, Chief Wildlife Warden of Assam, Mahendra Kumar Yadava said that the incident on September 27 has been vigorously pursued under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 against the Railway authorities. He also stated that it is the first instance in India when a railway locomotive has been seized in connection with the death on train tracks.
Minister of Environment and Forest, Parimal Suklabaidya also said, “the Department will not fail to take the toughest stand against the Railway Department. The killing of elephants on railway tracks must stop at the earliest.”
Also Read: Assam MediClown Academy – Project on Board