Elephant herd force Niligiri Mountain train to stop in middle of the track

The Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) train, which left from Mettupalayam near here, has to stop in the midway as a herd of elephants was standing across the railway track on Friday.

The train left Mettupalayam at 7.30 AM and stopped between Hilolgrove and Aderley, as the driver noticed five elephants with a calf standing on the track, which had 138 passengers to Coonoor.

The elephants standing on the track has become a regular scene during the summer season, moving in search of water, railway sources said.

The alert driver stopped the train and left after half an hour, they said.

The Forest department is taking measures to prevent the herd of elephants crossing the track, railway sources said.