Passenger Train Hits and Kills 3 Leopards in Gujarat’s Rajkot

Gujarat, Rajkot : In a devastating incident on Friday night, a female leopard and her two cubs lost their lives after being struck by a passenger train on the outskirts of Dhoraji town in Gujarat’s Rajkot district. The tragedy unfolded as a Bhavnagar-Porbandar local passenger train, en route to Porbandar, crossed the Bhadar river bridge at around 8 pm.

Narrow Bridge Contributes to Fatal Collision

The narrowness of the Bhadar river bridge seems to have played a crucial role in the tragic event. The passenger train, moving towards Porbandar, reportedly collided with the three leopards, who were walking on the bridge from the opposite side. The collision resulted in serious head injuries, causing the immediate death of the leopardess and her two cubs. Niharika Pandya, the range forest officer (RFO) of Dhoraji, Rajkot, described the bridge as narrow, leaving the leopards with no escape route once the train approached.

Age and Gender of the Leopards

The deceased leopardess was estimated to be around three to five years old, while her cubs were approximately eight to nine months old—one male and one female. Notably, this area is not known for having a resident leopard population. Forest officers suggest that Osam Dungar in Dhoraji taluka of Rajkot and Umat Vidi in Vinchhiya taluka of Rajkot are home to a few leopards, but the leopard family killed in Dhoraji appeared to be from the Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary in the adjoining Junagadh district. The region lacks a resident leopard population, and leopards from Girnar are known to frequent the area after crossing National Highway 151 near Choki-Sorath.

First Leopard Deaths on Railway Tracks in Rajkot District

This unfortunate incident marks the first instance of leopard fatalities on railway tracks in Rajkot district in recent history. Wildlife officials express deep concern over the tragedy, highlighting the need for increased awareness and precautions to safeguard wildlife, especially in areas frequented by such magnificent creatures. The incident was reported to the forest department by officers of the Bhavnagar division of Western Railway after the train continued its journey towards Porbandar.