Sloth bear, 4 langurs killed in suspected train hit in CG

Raipur: A sloth bear and four monkeys were killed after being hit by trains in two separate incidents in Chhattisgarh. The langurs, protected under Schedule II of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, were hit by a train while attempting to cross railway tracks near Kalmi in Chhattisgarh’s Raigarh district on Tuesday evening.Three langurs died on the spot, while a fourth suffered grievous injuries.Local residents alerted members of the animal rescue committee, which shifted the injured langur to Indira Vihar for treatment. However, the animal succumbed to its injuries.Forest officials conducted the post-mortem and initiated the required legal formalities. Ranger Sanjay Lakra said the animals had sustained severe impact injuries and the preliminary inquiry indicated they were struck by a moving train.

The department is yet to identify the train involved.In a separate incident, an adult sloth bear was found dead in a drain beside the railway tracks in the Belgahna forest area on Wednesday. The carcass was spotted near a railway pole after local residents alerted the forest department.Officials suspect the bear was crossing the tracks when it was hit by a train and flung into the nearby drain, where it died. However, they said the exact cause of death would be confirmed only after the post-mortem examination.

Teams from the forest department and forest development corporation reached the spot and initiated an inquiry.While wildlife accidents on railway tracks have never been common in Chhattisgarh, the concern gained prominence last month after a female elephant was killed by a freight train near Charmar in Raigarh district, with members of the herd remaining near the carcass for hours. The conservationists have sought measures such as identifying animal crossing hotspots, regulating train speeds in vulnerable stretches and installing early warning systems to reduce wildlife mortality.