it was supposed to be a quiet evening near the forests of Bashtola — until the thunder of a train tore through the night. On November 9, tragedy struck when three elephants, including a helpless calf, were fatally hit by a speeding train.
Witnesses later revealed that the herd had been forced onto the tracks by villagers staging a brutal “Hulla party” — a cruel method used to chase elephants away from farmlands by noise and fire.
When rescuers arrived, the scene was unbearable. The bodies of the fallen elephants lay scattered along the rails, while four survivors — three calves and one grieving adult — stood nearby, unmoving. They gently nudged the lifeless bodies with their trunks, as if trying to wake them up. The silence that followed was heavier than the roar of any train — a haunting reminder of how far humanity can fall in its battle with nature.
Forest officials and wildlife groups have since condemned the act, urging for stronger protections and accountability. But for the broken herd that night, it was too late — their cries of confusion and loss echoed through the forest, a sorrow the earth itself seemed to mourn.
