SYLHET — A pet elephant that fell into a pond after being struck by a train in the Shibbari area of South Surma, Sylhet, could not be saved. The elephant died Monday afternoon during treatment, the owner’s representative and an animal welfare official said.
The elephant, named Sundarmala, was 42 years old. Its owner, Kamrul Islam, lives in the Karmadha area of Kulaura upazila in Moulvibazar.
Rakibul Haque, founder and chairman of the Dhaka-based animal welfare group People for Animal Welfare Foundation, said by phone around 1 p.m. that the elephant had been listless since morning. It died at 12:40 p.m. The owner’s representative, Abdus Sabur, was at the scene at the time.
The elephant lay near where it had been rescued, Rakibul said. It did not have the strength to stand. Its belly was swollen, and it could not move its right hind leg. Wounds were visible along its spine. The team suspects high blood pressure brought on a heart attack, he said.
According to multiple sources, the elephant had been hired for a Poush Sankranti chariot procession and fair in the Kaliganj area of Sylhet’s Jakiganj upazila. Two mahouts named Imon and Rakib were traveling with it. On the way back Saturday night, the elephant was struck by a train in the Shibbari area of South Surma and fell into a pond beside the tracks.
On Sunday afternoon, local administrators, the forest department, police, the fire service, veterinarians from the district livestock office and a team from the agricultural university worked together to haul the elephant out of the pond using a loader and ropes. Hours in the water had left the elephant weak, and it was put on a saline drip. Steroids and antihistamines had been administered earlier.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report