THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, Nov 20: An adult male Nilgai was run over by a train between Kosiyara and Mohammadganj railway stations under the Mughalsarai division in Palamu district.
Incident Near Lathpori Crossing
Forest guard Mithun Kumar Rajak said the accident took place near railway pole number 350/14–16, close to the Lathpori railway crossing.
The Nilgai was hit on the down (Dn) line, he added.
The animal’s body was found shattered and scattered, and forest staff collected the remains and buried them on nearby railway land.
Crows had already begun feeding on the carcass, so the burial was done quickly to prevent further decay.
Rajak explained that wildlife carcasses are not transported; they are always buried in situ, close to the spot where the animal dies.
First Nilgai Death by Train in Palamu
According to forest sources, this is the first known incident of a Nilgai being run over by a train in Palamu district.
Nilgai Population Rising in Mohammadganj Area
Satyam Kumar, Divisional Forest Officer of the Medininagar Forest Division and a 2015-batch IFS officer, said Nilgais are present in large numbers in the Mohammadganj region.
He noted that many Nilgais may have crossed from Bihar into Jharkhand’s Palamu district.
Farmers and vegetable growers in the area are increasingly frustrated with the Nilgai menace, as the animals cause crop damage.
Forest Department Plans to Contain Nilgai Movement
The Medininagar Forest Division is preparing a plan to keep Nilgais inside the forest by improving water availability and adding feed sources.
“Nilgais stray into human habitation mainly for feed and water. If forests provide these two, they are less likely to trespass,” the DFO said.
Sources confirmed that the division will soon build multiple water bodies in the forest, and funds for the work have already been received.
