Rajganj, 20th June: An elephant calf sustained severe injuries after being struck by a vehicle on Canal Road in Gajoldoba. The accident took place in the Gatebazar area of Mantadari on Thursday morning. The calf has been rescued and transported to the Bengal Safari Park in Siliguri for treatment.
Local witnesses reported discovering the baby elephant in a critically wounded state on the paved road earlier in the morning. Upon being informed of the incident, forest personnel from the Mantadari Beat Office promptly arrived at the scene and rescued the injured animal. Subsequently, the calf was transferred to Bengal Safari with the aid of a pickup van for treatment.
Preliminary assumptions indicate that the calf had emerged from the dense forest on either side of the Fulbari Canal Road from Gatebazar to Gajaldoba. Notably, similar incidents had previously occurred where wild animals became victims of frequent accidents due to speeding vehicles.
Regarding the injured calf, Baikunthpur Division DFO M Raja stated that the calf was purportedly struck by a heavy vehicle at night. The elephant is currently undergoing treatment at Bengal Safari. Efforts are underway to identify the vehicle responsible, with authorities initiating legal proceedings under relevant sections.