Train fatally knocks down tiger on Kollam-Senkottai route

A tiger was struck and killed by a passenger train on the Kollam-Senkottai railway route in the early hours of Wednesday. The collision occurred near kilometre stone 676, on the stretch between Senkottai and Bhagavathipuram under the Senkottai railway section. Preliminary findings by officials suggest the deceased animal was a male tiger aged around six to seven years.

The accident took place around 2 a.m. when Palaruvi Express, from Thoothukudi to Palakkad, hit the tiger on the tracks. Following the incident, railway personnel alerted forest authorities, who despatched a team to the site. Forest officials subsequently took custody of the carcass for necropsy and further legal procedures.

The incident occurred in a region under the jurisdiction of the Tamil Nadu Forest department. Notably, the spot where the tiger was killed is located near human settlements and vast mango orchards, where farm workers reside. Local residents pointed out that these surrounding orchards lacked solar fencing, leaving the area vulnerable to wild animal movements.

The Punalur-Senkottai rail line cuts through the ecologically fragile Western Ghats, making nighttime encounters with wildlife a frequent occurrence along the tracks. The incident has heightened fears among residents of nearby Aryankavu, a region that has already seen a recent surge in wild animal encounters and attacks.

Six months ago, Palaruvi Express was forced to halt near Ottakkal in Thenmala after a wild elephant wandered onto the railway tracks and blocked the route.