Teliamura, Dec 29: A massive wild elephant, known as Tumor, was critically injured after being struck by a high-speed train traveling from Agartala to Dharmanagar on Saturday night. The incident took place near the Shalbagan area in the deep forest adjacent to the railway track under the Teliamura Forest Division.

Reports indicate that the passenger train, en route to Ambassa, collided with the elephant while it was crossing the tracks near Maharani Pur Kapali Tila. The impact caused severe injuries to the elephant's back and hind legs. The elephant, a well-known figure in the Krishnapur area, lay writhing in pain beside the tracks for an extended period before forest officials were notified.

Upon receiving the information, the Teliamura Forest Department quickly dispatched a team, including a veterinarian, to the site. They began administering emergency treatment to the injured elephant, which later crawled into the nearby jungle for refuge.

Khowai District Forest Officer, Akshay Balu Bhorde directly criticized the railway department, emphasizing the need for reduced train speeds between Teliamura and Mungiakami due to the presence of dense forests and elephant habitats. He also accused the train's loco pilot of negligence, as the train was traveling at an unusually high speed.

Officials informed that the condition of Tumor is now stable, and a veterinary team returned to the area on Sunday morning to continue treatment, aiming for a full recovery. Forest officials have urged the railway department to take stronger measures to prevent such accidents in the future.