30 vultures crushed to death by train

LUCKNOW: A flock of rare 30 white-backed vultures was crushed by the speeding Durg Express in Maharajganj district on Friday morning. Forest officers don’t recollect having seen such a big flock ever in the last ten years in Maharajganj. The injured vultures are being looked after at a veterinary hospital.

The incident happened at an unmanned level crossing (ULC), about 500 metres from Mohnapur railway crossing, in Laxmipur range of Maharajganj forest area.

A big flock of vultures had descended onto railway track, where a carcass of dog was lying. ‘‘The railway staff should have removed it when vultures started hovering around,’’ said Wasi Iqbal Siddiqui, forest range officer, Laxmipur. Around 11.30am, Durg Express passed through the ULC. The speeding train crushed the flock killing 30 vultures and leaving two critically injured.