Assam: Seven Elephants Killed as Rajdhani Express Derails
The collision caused the train's locomotive and five coaches to derail, though miraculously, no passengers or crew members were injured.
GUWAHATI– In a heartbreaking incident highlighting the ongoing conflict between wildlife and infrastructure in India’s Northeast, at least seven wild elephants were killed and one injured after a herd was struck by the high-speed Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express early Saturday morning.
The collision caused the train’s locomotive and five coaches to derail, though miraculously, no passengers or crew members were injured.
The accident occurred around 2:17 AM in the Jamunamukh-Kampur section of the Lumding Division under Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), near Changjurai village in Assam’s Hojai district, approximately 126 km from Guwahati.
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According to NFR Chief Public Relations Officer Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, the loco pilot spotted the herd crossing the tracks and immediately applied emergency brakes. However, the elephants collided with the train, leading to the derailment.
Officials noted that the site is not a designated elephant corridor, and dense fog may have reduced visibility, contributing to the tragedy.
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Passengers from the affected coaches were quickly shifted to vacant berths in other compartments. The train, minus the derailed portions, departed the site for Guwahati at 6:11 AM, where additional coaches were attached before resuming its journey to New Delhi’s Anand Vihar Terminal.
Restoration work was completed promptly, with some trains initially diverted via alternative lines. Senior railway and forest officials rushed to the scene, where autopsies on the deceased elephants were conducted, and veterinary care provided to the injured calf.
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Reports on the exact number of elephant fatalities varied slightly in initial hours, with some sources citing eight deaths, but most confirmed seven killed and one injured.
This incident underscores persistent human-wildlife conflicts in elephant habitats across Assam and the Northeast, where train collisions have claimed numerous jumbos in recent years despite mitigation efforts like speed restrictions and awareness campaigns.
Wildlife experts call for enhanced measures, such as underpasses or better monitoring in high-risk areas.
