Tiger run over by train in West Bengal

　
Tiger run over by train in West Bengal
Published: Tuesday, 19 June, 2007, 09:13 AM Doha Time

Photo:
Forest officials stand around the body of a full grown male Royal Bengal tiger hit by a train at Dolan rail bridge near the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal yesterday

KOLKATA: A Royal Bengal tiger was found dead near a railway bridge in West Bengal yesterday. The accident took place near Dolong Railway Bridge between Ghokshadanga and Falakata railway station in Cooch Behar district.

“After primary investigation we came to know that the tiger possibly came out of the Jaldapara wildlife sanctuary and was somehow run over by a train. I have already sent our officials to the spot and asked them to prepare a complete report determining the exact cause of this incident,” West Bengal Forest Minister Ananta Roy said.

Local residents found the tiger lying dead near the railway tracks and informed the forest department officials.
Roy said that since the last few years there has been a change in the nature of tigers and now they frequently come out of the forest area.
“There’s no shortage of food for tigers in the Jaldapara wildlife sanctuary.
The West Bengal forest department is trying to find out why they often come to areas inhabited by people in north Bengal,” he said.
Recently, a full-grown leopard was found dead in the Phulbari-Patan tea estate near Siliguri, about 600km from the state capital.
According to forest department officials, the leopard presumably died due to poisoning as no external injury marks were found on its body. – IANS

Gulf Times Newspaper, 2007