Elephants crushed by train

A speeding cargo train crushed seven elephants to death in eastern  india after the animals tried to rescue two calves that got stuck in the tracks, conservation officials said Thursday. 

The baby elephants became trapped as the herd was crossing the rail line in a densely forested area in northern West Bengal State late on Wednesday night. The adults had crowded around the calves to protect them when they were hit, said Atanu Raha, the chief state forest conservator. The two calves were among the dead.

More than 20 elephants have died in a little more than a year in the area, which is known as an elephant corridor, Mr. Raha said. Rail traffic was suspended overnight and the surviving members of the herd were still at the scene in the morning, watching over the dead and injured, he said.