Guwahati: In the quiet of the night, a herd of more than 70 elephants plodded across the railway tracks in Assam’s Hojai district, as forest officials silently stood guard.Against the backdrop of growing man-animal conflict in the state, timely coordination between forest and railway officials ensured the safety of the herd crossing the tracks between Habaipur and Lamsakhang railway stations on Saturday night.The animals were moving from Lumding Reserved Forest towards West Karbi Anglong in search of food.Forest personnel alerted railway authorities, who halted a Guwahati-bound passenger train and prevented a possible collision, said Manik Baruah, range officer of Lanka forest range.The same herd had made headlines on Aug 19, when forest officials helped stop the Guwahati-bound Rajdhani Express to allow 90 elephants to cross safely, Baruah said.“The incident took place at about 10.15 pm on Saturday between the Habaipur railway station and Lamsakhang railway station. The herd was going from Lumding reserve forest to West Karbi Anglong in search of food,” he said.Asked about the reduced size of the herd, Baruah said, “The number of elephants in a herd normally remains the same, but sometimes they can get separated. Moreover, we assume the total number in a herd. It is difficult to give the exact number.”Baruah said the herd follows a seasonal movement pattern, travelling through the area between Aug and Sept and again in Jan. Lanka forest range has three major elephant corridors, he said.“The elephants travel from the Lumding Forest Reserve to West Karbi Anglong around midnight, mainly in search of sugarcane in cultivation areas there, crossing the railway tracks before returning to the Lumding reserved forest in the early hours of the morning. By the end of Jan, the elephants will move to Kumurakata forest. This is their annual routine,” he said.Forest teams remain alert during the period of increased elephant movement, Baruah said.“We inform the railway authorities immediately after we spot any movement, and they act accordingly. Railway authorities have also imposed speed restrictions on train movement in the area,” he said.
