Tiger hit fatally by train, dragged 50m near Sengottai

Madurai: A tiger was killed after being hit by an express train near Sengottai in the wee hours of Wednesday. The animal was struck from the side by the Palakkad–Thoothukudi Palaruvi Express and dragged about 50 metres along the tracks, preliminary postmortem findings suggest.The collision occurred around 2.30 am near Poolangudiyiruppu, between Sengottai and Bhagavathipuram railway stations in Tenkasi district. Inquiries indicated that the tiger emerged from a mango grove adjoining farmland and a residential area and was attempting to cross the tracks when the train hit it.The animal suffered a severe skull injury that caused fatal brain damage, while the rest of its body had only minor scratches, forest department sources told TOI. “No fractures were detected elsewhere, suggesting the train did not strike it head-on,” said a senior official.The animal was suspected to have come from the buffer zone of Kalakad–Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR), but its identity and movements remain unconfirmed. Officials said it had not appeared in any of the camera-trap records examined so far. The site is about one kilometre outside the forest boundary. Forest officials said wildlife movement beyond the forest was difficult to predict, particularly at night.The postmortem also indicated that the tiger had eaten prey before the accident. However, officials have yet to establish why it ventured towards the grove or whether it was returning to the forest. Railway personnel alerted the authorities after the collision. Tenkasi district forest officer Rajmohan and other forest and railway officials inspected the site. Veterinarians conducted a postmortem, after which the carcass was cremated in a forest area.The incident occurred in the wider Sengottai–Aryankavu landscape, where transport routes intersect wildlife habitat. A Wildlife Institute of India assessment in 2025 identified road and rail traffic near Aryankavu as barriers to tiger movement. In June, the Palaruvi Express was stopped for an elephant crossing the tracks on another section of the route.Forest officials are installing additional cameras to monitor animal movement near the collision site. Investigators are examining the circumstances of the impact and the tiger’s possible route to the railway line.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Madurai | Silver Rate in Madurai | Bank Holidays in Madurai | Public Holidays in Madurai | Madurai AQI | Weather in Madurai | Petrol Price in Madurai | Diesel Price in Madurai | CNG Price in Madurai | LPG Price in MaduraiStay updated with the latest Madurai news. Download the TOI App.