KLUANG, March 24 — An elephant calf died after being hit by a passenger train that was heading to Gemas from Johor Bahru Sentral at KM679.50 (between Renggam - Mengkibol), here last night.

Kluang police chief ACP Bahrin Mohd Noh said there were 70 passengers in the train during the 8.19pm incident but all passengers were reported to be safe.

However, the train could not continue its journey after the accident due to damages caused by the impact.

Another locomotive was rushed to the location and the train continued its journey at 10.40pm while the passengers later arrived at their intended destination.

“The matter was also reported to the Kluang Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan). The carcass of the elephant calf was later removed and its tusks measured and removed to prevent theft,” he said in a statement today.

The process of the burial will be handled by the authorities with the assistannce of YTL Berhad.

Meanwhile, Johor Perhilitan director Aminuddin Jamin when contacted said the dead elephant calf was a male from the Bandar Tenggara group. — Bernama