An alert loco pilot saved lions in Gujarat’s Savarkundla from being run over after he spotted them straying onto the railway tracks as his train was about to pass the spot.
LP S K Sinha was taking his train from Savarkundla to Lilia Mota on the evening of 16th September 2021 at around 7:48 pm. He spotted four lions on the track as his train approached the spot at its maximum permissible speed.
According to Western Railway, the loco pilot immediately applied emergency brakes and brought the train to a stop in time. 52 such incidents have occurred in 2021-21. In the financial year starting April 2021, 23 more incidents have already been recorded.
Lion runovers have become a cause of concern in the region. One was run over, reportedly by a goods train, on 21st August 2021. The incident occurred in Gujarat’s Amreli district.
WR says that Cyclone Tauktae damaged fencing along the tracks between Pipavav and Rajula Road in the region. The Forest department has been notified of the damage, says the zone.
Photo: Sumeet Moghe