Seven elephants were killed and one injured after a herd was struck by the Sairang–New Delhi Rajdhani Express in Assam’s Hojai district in the early hours of Saturday, forest officials said. The collision led to the derailment of the locomotive and five coaches, though no passenger injuries were reported.
Collision occurred in forest corridor at 2.17 am
According to the Northeast Frontier Railway, the accident occurred at around 2.17 am in the Jamunamukh–Kampur section under the Lumding Division. The train, bound for Delhi, hit the elephant herd near Changjurai village while passing through a forested stretch.
Chief Public Relations Officer Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said accident relief trains and senior railway officials were rushed to the site immediately. “No casualties or injuries to any passenger have occurred,” he confirmed, adding that restoration work was underway.
Forest officials reach site; inquiry begins
Nagaon Divisional Forest Officer Suhash Kadam said forest personnel reached the site soon after the incident. Preliminary assessments indicated that seven elephants—three adults and four calves—were killed, while one elephant sustained injuries and was being monitored by veterinarians.
Train services on the affected stretch were disrupted, with several services diverted via the UP line as repair and clearance operations continued.
CM orders probe, stresses wildlife corridor safety
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed deep sorrow over the incident and ordered a detailed probe. “We are deeply saddened by the death of seven elephants in a tragic train collision. I have directed the Forest Department to conduct a thorough enquiry and take steps to further secure our wildlife corridors, particularly during low visibility seasons,” he said.
Long-standing concern over rail–wildlife conflicts
The tragedy has once again highlighted the risks faced by wildlife in railway corridors cutting through forest areas in the Northeast. Conservationists have long called for speed restrictions, better night-time surveillance, early warning systems and coordination between railway and forest departments in identified elephant corridors.
The Sairang–New Delhi Rajdhani Express connects Sairang near Aizawl in Mizoram with Anand Vihar Terminal in Delhi and passes through several ecologically sensitive zones.