The tuskers were crossing an elephant corridor in West Bengal.
With man-animal conflicts on the rise due to the encroachment of forest land, encounters with elephants on human settlements in North Bengal are common. This often prompts wild animals to cross roads and railway lines amidst traffic. And, that is exactly what happened when an elephant herd brought the traffic to a grinding halt while crossing an elephant corridor on a National Highway in West Bengal.
A video going viral online shows a herd of elephants crossing the busy Highway in Nagrakata in West Bengal. The clip opens with dozens of gentle giants peacefully crossing the road. This incident brought traffic to a halt on both sides, with motorists even stopping and clicking pictures of the pachyderms.
Authorities said that the tuskers were crossing the highway, using an elephant corridor. The Forest department is tracking the movement of the herd of elephants, they added.
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Notably, wild animals often stray in the cities in search of food or water. It is important for the local authorities to ensure the safety of both the elephants and the residents.
Earlier this month, an elephant even killed two elderly men in West Bengal's Jhargram district, following the death of the pachyderm's calf, a forest official said. The animal also ransacked a bus and a motorcycle besides damaging several houses near the popular Rameshwar temple in the Chandabila forest range in Nayagram.
The tusker attacked a group of people who went there to see the carcass of the calf and flung the two men to the ground killing them, the official said.
Speaking about the incident, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said it was sad that the mother elephant guarding the dead calf became violent and killed two persons and damaged several houses. She announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each for the families of the two 60-year-old men and said the government would repair the damaged houses.
Earlier, a pregnant elephant was run over by a train in north Bengal. In elephant corridors trains move with restrictions to prevent animal deaths. Roads through elephant corridors have signage asking motorists to exercise caution.
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