Villagers in Assam take care of an injured elephant

Shattergaon (Assam), Mar 12(ANI): Villagers of Shattergaon are taking care of a female elephant, which got hurt by a train near Deepor Beel (a freshwater lake) in Guwahati.

A goods train had hit the elephant on February 28, when it was trying to cross a railway track.

The injured elephant, pregnant at that time, then gave birth to a male calf in a nearby forest. But, she abandoned her calf and vanished in the Garbahanga Reserve forest in Kamrup district.

Forest officials then found the newborn calf and took him to the Assam State Zoo.

The mother elephant then reached Shattergaon village, near the Garbhanga Reserve forest and is now being taken care by the villagers.

To save the animal, the villagers are fetching water and banana trees to feed the ailing animal.

"The elephant was hit by a train and reached our village. All the villagers are looking after it, and we are feeding the elephant, so that the elephant gets well," said Diganta Ravam, a villager.

Nanda Narzary, a village schoolteacher, said that despite knowing the elephant's condition, the forest officials are not doing much to save the poor animal.

"The officials come to see the elephant and then go back. They are not bothered with what the elephant needs. This is such a sad situation. The elephant needs a quintal of food in a day but they bring only a kilogram of food for her. Moreover, the animal needs tons of water. How can a litre or two of water help the poor elephant?" asked Narzary.

Despite facing a lot of problems from elephants, which often raid their fields, the villagers of Shattergaon are putting all their efforts to save the animal.

The train had hit another female elephant on February 28, which had died on the spot. (ANI)