A wild elephant was eliminated early today (18) after being struck by a train taking a trip from Colombo to Batticaloa.The event happened at around 5:30 a.m.
in the Sudunelum town location of Gallella.According to local citizens, the elephant had actually been strolling the village since around 3:00 a.m., reportedly destructive and consuming paddy crops.Residents also declare that they attempted to signal the Department of Wildlife Conservation upon seeing the elephants presence in the town, but claim that officials detached the call.The villagers further mentioned that this elephant had been a frequent visitor to the area, and highlighted that timely action by wildlife authorities might have prevented the incident.Wildlife officers validated that the elephant was almost 15 years old and stood about 8 feet high.