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Jhargram/Kolkata: A male calf was among three elephants killed after they were hit by an allegedly speeding Barbil-Howrah Jan Shatabdi Express in the early hours of Friday near Jhargram's Manikpara. Rail services were paused for a few hours following the accident.While local sources and activists say 'hulla' parties had been driving away a herd of 20 elephants across the tracks when the accident took place, forest department denied this. The herd, sources claimed, was being driven towards Midnapore forest division. "While most were successfully sent to the other side, three (including an adult female and a sub-adult male) slowed down probably due to the presence of calf and were run over," alleged an activist.SAGE Foundation's Sagnik Sengupta said the organisation had written to the chief wildlife warden demanding a probe into the alleged use of 'hulla' parties. "Preliminary reports suggest that they were recklessly chasing the herd towards the tracks without any strategic coordination. This is the third instance since July 2023 when elephants have died in Jhargram due to unscientific handling of conflict," Sengupta added. Joydip Kundu of SHER also called for a probe.Jhargram DFO Umar Imam said: "This area is known as Bashtola elephant route. Jumbos from Midnapore cross over to Jhargram from here and there's movement of elephants in the area throughout the year. At least 25 to 30 jumbos were roaming the area since Thursday. Twice or thrice a week, we communicate with railway officials about jumbo movement. This time, too, messages were shared with them on WhatsApp around 10.45pm on Thursday. However, it seems no speed limit was maintained. We have sought the speed logbook," he added.Chief wildlife warden Sundeep Sundriyal seconded Imam's version. Forest department has also lodged a complaint of railway negligence in a Jhargram court.South-Eastern Railway has initiated an inquiry into the incident. Senior SER officials said they were not adequately alerted about the movement of the elephant herd. "Only a casual WhatsApp text was dropped by a forest staff in a messaging group of forest, railway officials and wildlife enthusiasts around 11pm that three pachyderm herds were passing. The incident happened at 1am. It was too late to impose speed restrictions -- so many trains were running on the section," a senior SER official said.Another said, "The protocol is to inform the railways at least five or six hours in advance about such movement of elephants. Immediately steps would have been taken to run the trains on very slow speed. We will get to know what actually happened and with whom the fault lies, once the probe report in submitted."Following the deaths, five elephants from the herd returned to the area in the morning. Forest department suspects the herd will return to the area searching for their companions.
Chaibasa (Jharkhand), July 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) A landmine planted by Maoists in the dense Saranda forest of Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district has claimed the life of a young male elephant, Forest Department officials said on Sunday. The six-year-old wild elephant, affectionately called 'Gadru' by local villagers, sustained grievous injuries after stepping on an IED in the Digha area of the Saranda forest on June 24. The powerful blast severely damaged the animal's hind left leg, which left it immobilised and bleeding. Locals later found the wounded pachyderm collapsed near a stream. Villag ...Read More >
The viral video from the Bandipur Tiger Reserve shows the elephant charging at the man and running after him before stomping on him. A dramatic incident unfolded in Karnataka's Bandipur Tiger Reserve when a wild elephant stomped on a tourist who was trying to take a photograph of the animal. The video is circulating on the internet, sparking a backlash against the man and a conversation about interfering with wildlife. Shared by Daniel Osorio, the viral video shows the elephant charging at the ...Read More >
Hyderabad: In a significant boost for 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbharta' in the aerospace and defence sector, and Hyderabad's growing stature as a global aerospace hub, the complete fuselage of the Rafale fighter jet will now be made in India at Hyderabad. This move marks the first time that these Rafale components will be manufactured outside France for the Indian as well as global markets.French aerospace major Dassault Aviation has signed four production transfer agreements with Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) for manufacturing key sections of the Rafale fighter jet, including the lateral ...Read More >
Bengaluru: Concerns have been raised following the report of another tigress' death in Karnataka on Saturday, coming close on the heels of the shocking incident involving the death of a tigress and her four cubs. According to forest officials, the latest death has been reported from the Gundre Forest Range in Bandipur, located in Chamarajanagar district. Authorities, based on preliminary investigation, have stated that the tigress, estimated to be between 4 and 5 years old, appears to have died of natural causes. However, the post-mortem report is awaited for confirmation. The carcass was d ...Read More >
Guwahati (Assam) [India], July 5 (ANI): The Meghalaya Forest Department organised an outreach programme for the personnel of the 193rd Border Security Force (BSF) Battalion at Ranikor, Gumaghat Border Outpost (BOP) on the Indo-Bangla border in South-West Khasi Hills (SWKH) district. The main objectives of the outreach programme was to sensitise the BSF personnel on how to deal with herds of wild elephants they often encounter while discharging duty on the international border as well as raise awareness among BOP officials about various forms of wildlife crime, current trends in wildlife traff ...Read More >
Jhansi: A bomb threat delayed the Durg-bound Chhattisgarh Sampark Kranti Express on Friday night, when it was halted at Virangana Laxmibai Jhansi railway station for nearly an hour. The threat turned out to be a hoax, and the train resumed its journey after a thorough inspection. According to SP, GRP, Vipul Srivastav, after the train left Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station in Delhi around 6pm on Friday, a call was recieved at the railway helpline 139, claiming that a bomb had been planted in a sleeper coach of the train. The railway control room in Lucknow started preparations for search of the ...Read More >
Guwahati/Morigaon, Jun 6 (PTI) The flood situation in Assam continued to be critical with over 5.6 lakh people reeling under the deluge in 16 districts, an official bulletin said on Friday. The toll in this year's floods and landslides stands at 21, with two more deaths reported on Thursday. Also Read | Thane Shocker: Wife Booked for Hurling Hot Oil on Autorickshaw Driver During Fight Over Domestic Issues in Kalyan. Wildlife has also been affected with nearly 70 per cent of the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Morigaon district facing inundation, an official said. The Regional Meteorological ...Read More >
Bengaluru: In an incident of concern, the unnatural death of a tigress and her three cubs, probably due to poisoning, came to light in the Male Mahadeshwara Hills Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka's Chamarajanagar district on Thursday. Addressing media persons in Bengaluru, Forests, Ecology, and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre announced that an investigation has been ordered into the incident and officials have been directed to submit a detailed report within three days. The probe will be conducted by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF). "Karnataka stands second in the count ...Read More >
Bhopal: Vatsala, considered Asia's oldest elephant, died at the age of more than 100 years in Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Madhya Pradesh late on Tuesday. Her last rites were performed in the Hinauta elephant camp inside PTR late on Tuesday evening. "Vatsala was considered to be Asia's oldest elephant. Her last rites were performed by officers and employees of the Panna Tiger Reserve", an official statement said. Popularly known among the forest staff of the PTR as 'Vatsala Daadi (Grandma)' for her unusual affection for baby elephants in the reserve, the centenarian female pachyderm was kno ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Mahadevi, an elephant once rescued from poor conditions at a religious institution in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, might soon be sent back, despite all the care and recovery she received at the Vantara Wildlife Centre in Gujarat. A few months ago, Mahadevi was shifted to Vantara after People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) raised concerns about her health and treatment at the SwastiShri Jensen Bhattarak Pattacharya Mahaswami Sanstha in Nandani village. The Bombay High Court, an ...Read More >
New Delhi, Sep 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Supreme Court on Monday accepted the report of the Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by retired apex court judge Justice Jasti Chelameswar, which gave a clean chit to the Vantara wildlife facility in Gujarat's Jamnagar. A Bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and Prasanna B. Varale opened the sealed-cover report in open court and read out the conclusion of the SIT, which held that the transfers of wildlife in the facility were in conformity with the statutory mechanism. Saying that it would pass a detailed order in chambers during lunch, the Justice Mi ...Read More >
BENGALURU: Release of DNA-based elephant population estimation is the beginning for the scientific and wildlife fraternity. According to experts from Wildlife Institute of India (WII), who prepared the report, a detailed gene pool assessment is being done as the next step, with special concentration on Western Ghats and the Nilgiri Biosphere. According to Status of Elephants in India: DNA Based Synchronous All India Population Estimation of Elephants, Karnataka houses the highest elephant population of 6,013 in India, and the Western Ghats region (Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu) has 11,934, ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 9 (PTI) Delhi Police on Wednesday argued in the Delhi High Court that the intention behind February 2020 riots in the capital was to globally defame the nation by way of a well-planned and orchestrated criminal conspiracy by the accused persons including Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid. Delhi Police was opposing the bail pleas of the accused persons when it argued before a bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur that it was not a spontaneous riot but a well-organised act planned in advance in the capital of the country, aimed at a particular day and time. The bench res ...Read More >
New Delhi: In its final bid to oppose the bail petitions of northeast Delhi riot accused, including Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid, Delhi Police on Wednesday alleged that the intention behind the Feb 2020 riots in the national capital was to globally defame the nation through a well-planned and orchestrated criminal conspiracy.Arguing before a special bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur in the conspiracy case related to the riots, solicitor general Tushar Mehta said, "If you are doing something against your nation, then you better be in jail till you are acquitted or convicted. Th ...Read More >
New Delhi: Protest at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) against a recently announced fee hike, the long-standing suspension of students' union elections and calls for administrative accountability have entered their sixth day, with students boycotting classes and staging sit-ins at the Bab-e-Syed gate (the iconic entrance of the varsity). The fee structure for different courses has witnessed a sharp revision. Students say the hike ranges from 25% to over 60% across various programmes. Many claim they first learned of the revised fees only while trying to pay through the university's online ...Read More >
Golfer Rory McIlroy and his Ryder Cup teammates are playing at the historic Delhi Golf Club. This unique course in New Delhi features ancient Mughal tombs and monuments. Wildlife like peacocks and monkeys roam the grounds. The tournament marks a significant moment for Indian golf. Players find the blend of sport and history special. Rory McIlroy and centuries of history blended beautifully as the Ryder Cup winner tackled a "special" golf course this week in the Indian capital, teeming with wildl ...Read More >
Viral video shows AI cameras spotting a herd of elephants. (Photo: X/susantananda3) Elephants in Odisha's forests often face the threat of train collisions on railway tracks, as highlighted by multiple reports over the years. To prevent such accidents, authorities installed four AI cameras in the Rourkela Forest Division. A post on X (formerly Twitter) by Susanta Nanda, a retired Indian Forest Service officer, stated that the use of AI cameras effectively averted another potential accident. In t ...Read More >
Guwahati: The flood situation across Assam continues to be critical, with over 5.6 lakh people in 16 districts reeling under the severe flood, an official bulletin confirmed on Friday. The cumulative death toll from this year's floods and landslides has now climbed to 21, following two more fatalities reported on Thursday. Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge! The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) bulletin stated that floodwaters are currently submerging 57 revenue circles and 1,406 villages, impacting a total of 5,61,644 individuals ...Read More >
BHOPAL: She never mated, yet raised generations of calves. She survived brutal attacks, lived through blindness, and stood as a matriarch in the forests of Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh for over three decades. But when Vatsala died this week, the gentle elephant did so just short of global recognition - because of one missing document.On Tuesday, Vatsala collapsed into a pit near Hinauta Elephant Camp and could not rise. Her body finally gave way. Forest officials said she was more than 100 years old - a contender for Guinness Book of World Records - but could not secure the title. "Wi ...Read More >
Bengaluru: Exploring scientific solutions to reduce human-elephant conflict across Karnataka, the forest department Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) for landscape-level conservation of Asian elephants. Renowned ecologist and elephant expert from IISc, Prof Raman Sukumar, and Karnataka chief wildlife warden Prabhash Chandra Ray signed the commencement of the Rs 4.7-crore project, fully funded by the forest department.Admitting an increa ...Read More >
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 3 (ANI): In a major crackdown on narcotics smuggling, officers of the Airport Commissionerate, Mumbai Customs Zone-III, have seized 14.738 kgs of suspected NDPS hydroponic weed (marijuana) valued at approximately Rs 14.73 crore during operations on Sunday. The seizures were made across Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMI), resulting in the arrest of one passenger, as stated in the press release. The passenger was arrested under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. Based on specific intel, ...Read More >
Dibrugarh: Residents of Khamjongia village in the Titabar area of Jorhat district came together to rescue four wild elephants, including a struggling calf, that had fallen into a deep pond. The incident took place around 6.10 pm on Wednesday, when the elephants which got separated from their herd, found themselves trapped in the large pond, unable to climb out due to its steep slippery edges. The elephants repeatedly attempted to scale the pond's steep sides but kept sliding back into the deep muddy water. As it got dark and temperatures dropped, concern grew among the villagers, particularl ...Read More >
Pune: Hospitals in Pune have started reporting an increase in dengue cases among children following recent heavy rainfall and intermittent showers. Conditions are now ripe for mosquito breeding, experts said, as they warned citizens to ensure there's no waterlogging or stagnant pools near homes and offices. "Dengue is typically seen first in children as they often play outside," said Dr Sagar Lad, a senior neonatologist and pediatric intensivist at Jehangir Hospital and Sahyadri Hospital, Shastrinagar. Dr Lad said he's seen at least three children admitted for dengue this week, with all of the ...Read More >
Bengaluru: Forest minister Eshwar Khandre's decision to initiate a departmental inquiry into the recent unnatural death of a leopard in the MM Hills wildlife sanctuary has triggered hopes among conservationists and wildlife enthusiasts about uncovering the truth behind such incidents.In the most recent case, the carcass of the big cat was found mutilated last month.Recollecting similar incidents in the past few years, the activists suspect an organised nexus of poachers could be behind such wildlife crime.A few days before the June 26 death of five tigers in the Hoogyam forest range of MM Hill ...Read More >
ISLAMABAD: Indian Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Rahul R Singh Friday claimed China used the four-day Pakistan-India conflict in May like a "live lab" to test various weapon systems and was providing all possible support to Islamabad in line with its ancient military strategy of killing the adversary with a "borrowed knife". The senior Indian military officer claimed while Pakistan was the "front face", with China extending all possible support to its all-weather ally, Turkiye was also playing a major role by supplying military hardware to Islamabad, adding that India was actually dealing w ...Read More >
Dibrugarh: A baby elephant that had fallen into a muddy pit and remained trapped for nearly two days was rescued by the Deomali Forest Division in Arunachal Pradesh's Tirap district. The rescue operation, which lasted about two hours, was significantly supported by local villagers who joined hands with the Forest Department. Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge! Thanks to their combined efforts, the baby elephant was successfully pulled out of the pit and safely guided back into the nearby forest. Upon receiving information about the stranded eleph ...Read More >
Kolhapur witnessed a massive turnout on Sunday (August 3, 2025) as thousands of locals walked in a silent protest, urging authorities to the bring back 36-year-old elephant Mahadevi, also known as Madhuri, from NGO Vantara's wildlife rehabilitation facility in Jamnagar, Gujarat. Elephant relocated to Gujarat facility run by Vantara from Kolhapur; devotees bid emotional adieu Vantara is the brainchild of Anant Ambani, son of industrialist Mukesh Ambani, and is supported by Reliance Industries Limited and Reliance Foundation The march, led by former Swabhimani Kisan Sangathan president and fo ...Read More >
Setting up the SIT under former judge Justice J Chelameswar, the apex court had on August 25 called for a report on a number of issues, including the acquisition of animals from India and abroad, particularly elephants, and compliance with the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, and rules for zoos. The Supreme Court on Friday said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) inquiring into the affairs of Vantara - the wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre launched by Reliance Foundation in Gujarat's J ...Read More >
(Reuters) -A wildlife rescue centre run by the philanthropic arm of billionaire Mukesh Ambani's group has been cleared of allegations of illegal animal acquisition and mistreatment, India's Supreme Court said on Monday, citing findings from a court-appointed committee. In August, India's top court appointed a special investigation team (SIT) to investigate complaints from non-profit and wildlife groups alleging animal mistreatment at Vantara and raising questions over how the animals were brought to the centre. However, the court has said the evidence did not support claims of illegal acquis ...Read More >
Puri: Despite travel uncertainties due to recent conflicts in some parts of the world, people from Europe and elsewhere have reached Puri to witness the annual Ratha Yatra of the sibling deities.As non-Hindus are not allowed inside the 12th-century Jagannath Temple, the Ratha Yatra provides a rare opportunity for devotees across the world to see the deities in their full glory atop their majestic wooden chariots."Back home, we are surrounded by uncertainty and fear. But here, I found peace. I came because this is my only chance to see Lord Jagannath. He comes out for the whole world. This is v ...Read More >