Forest guard waves cloth, alerts loco pilot as elephants cross tracks in Bengal

A forest guard in West Bengal waved a red cloth to alert an approaching train as a herd of elephants crossed the railway tracks, helping avert a potential collision. IFS officer Parveen Kaswan shared the video on X.A forest guard's quick action helped save a herd of elephants from a train collision. (Photos: Parveen Kaswan/X)New Delhi,Oct 11, 2026 17:38 ISTA forest guard’s frantic waving of a red cloth helped stop an approaching train in its tracks as a herd of elephants crossed a railway line in West Bengal. A video of the incident, shared by IFS officer Parveen Kaswan, has gone viral on X showing the alertness of the loco pilots who helped avert a potentially fatal collision.In the clip, forest staff member Akash Kerketta was seen standing near the railway tracks and vigorously waving a red cloth to signal the approaching train to stop. The Sikkim Mahananda Express was travelling along the Bagdogra-Naxalbari route when the incident took place.As a herd of elephants made its way across the tracks, Kerketta continued waving the cloth to alert the loco pilots to the animals’ presence. The train slowed down, helping avert a possible collision. The timely response of the forest staff and train crew ensured that the herd could cross safely.Sharing the video, Kaswan praised the forest guard’s presence of mind and thanked the team for their work behind the scenes to protect wildlife. “This is how heroes look like in real life,” he wrote. Watch the video here: This is how heroes look like in real life. See how Akash Kerketta, a forest staff of Kurseong division averted a major accident. Sikkim Mahananda train was coming on Bagdogra-Naxalbari Route. Due to timely intervention of forest staff and train pilots elephant herd was saved. https://t.co/LFhQY9QR8p— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) October 11, 2026The video has garnered more than 30,000 views, and social media users thanked Kerketta for his vigilance and dedication. Several users commended the loco pilots for responding promptly to the warning, pointing to the importance of coordination between railway personnel and forest officials in areas frequented by elephants.Elephants are particularly vulnerable to train collisions when railway lines cut through forest corridors and traditional migration routes. Such accidents have claimed the lives of several elephants over the years, prompting authorities to explore ways to identify danger zones and alert train crews before animals reach the tracks.Measures such as AI-based monitoring and mapping of vulnerable railway stretches, early-warning systems and the vigilance of forest guards have helped avert potential accidents in recent years.- Ends