The Elephant Lovers Forum has alleged an unholy nexus between the Forest department and the Railways, pointing out that no chargesheet was filed in the seven cases registered by the department against the loco pilots who assumedly caused the death of seven elephants in the last six years.
“When the Forest authorities say that they would register a case against the loco pilot whenever there is an elephant death on the tracks, it is mere eyewash. They never proceeded in the seven train-hit elephant fatalities that took place in the last six years,” said Elephant Lovers Forum district president Haridas Machingal.
Quoting an RTI (Right to Information Act) reply dated May 2 he got from the department, Mr. Machingal said that the Forest officials had not even registered the statements of the loco pilots in the last seven cases. “No chargesheet reached the court as they did not register the statements of the loco pilots. Therefore, the registration of cases against loco pilots that the Forest authorities talk of is bogus,” he said.
