Six ‘Jumbos’ run over by trains

• Three of the four jumbos that died at Galgamuwa were less than ten years of age and the other about 12 years

By Sajeewa Kottegoda and Kushan Jayawardene  

Six wild elephants had been run over by a train at two locations on “Wednesday night (27) four of whom were at Galgamuwa on the Northern railway and the other two at Palugaswewa on the Eastern railway.  

Four elephants had been run over by the Kankasanturai bound night mail near Galgamuwa railway station and two between Kekirawa and Palugaswewa railway stations by the Batticaloa bound Meenagaya Express.  

 Wildlife conservators said three of the four jumbos that died in the accident at Galgamuwa were less than ten years of age and the other about 12 years.   

They said a she elephant and her calf had died in the accident at Palugaswewa and that the she elephant was about 20 years of age and the calf about one year.  

Wildlife conservators from Galgamuwa conducted investigations of the accident at Galgamuwa while those from Ritigala, the accident at Palugaswewa.   

Meanwhile, Railway Department officials said no damage to the railway lines or the trains had been caused.