Elephant and Calf Killed by Train Near Kerala-Tamil Nadu Border
A wild elephant and its calf were fatally struck by the Mangaluru-Chennai Superfast Express near Puduppathy on the Walayar-Palakkad forest stretch. The incident occurred early Thursday morning, causing significant disruption to train services.
Key takeaways
- A wild elephant and its calf were killed by the Mangaluru-Chennai Superfast Express near Puduppathy on August 13, 2026.
- The accident occurred at 12:30 a.m. on the Tamil Nadu side of the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border.
- The incident caused several hours of disruption to train services.
- Forest and police officials, along with a veterinary team, attended the scene.
- Trains in this area operate at reduced speeds at night due to wildlife presence.
A wild elephant and its calf died after being struck by a train near Puduppathy, located on the Walayar-Palakkad forest route. The incident took place around 12:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 13, 2026, on the Tamil Nadu side of the border separating Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
The two animals became lodged beneath the locomotive, which led to train services being halted for several hours. Officials from the forest department and police, including those from the Walayar forest range, responded to the scene. Efforts were made to remove the animals' bodies and reopen the railway line. A veterinary team from Thrissur, accompanied by a veterinary surgeon, arrived to perform post-mortem examinations. Forest officials from Tamil Nadu also attended the site.
This incident follows a similar event in February, when another elephant was killed by a train near Walayar. Trains on this route are scheduled to travel at reduced speeds during nighttime hours due to the known presence of elephants and other wildlife in the area.
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
