At least seven elephants lost their lives, and one calf was also injured when a herd of elephants collided with the Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express in Hojai district in the state of Assam early Saturday morning.
Reportedly, the train derailed around 2.17 am, when it rammed into a herd of animals. Fortunately, there were no passengers injured in the accident, according to official confirmations. The train was headed to New Delhi.
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The Sairang – New Delhi Rajdhani Express runs from Sairang near Aizawl in Mizoram to Anand Vihar Terminal in Delhi.
Helpline numbers issued
The Railway maintained helpline numbers at various places in Guwahati Railway Station after the accident as follows:
0361-2731621
0361-2731622
0361-2731623
The accident spot is situated approximately 126 km away from Guwahati. Accident relief trains and railway officials were immediately sent to the site to initiate rescue and restoration activities.
Train services affected
There were reports that train routes to Upper Assam and other areas in the Northeast had been affected due to the derailment and the discovery of elephant parts scattered all over the train tracks.
The passengers from the affected coaches have been temporarily accommodated in vacant berths in other coaches. The railway authority stated that, after they arrive in Guwahati, additional coaches would be attached to the train to carry all passengers before starting the new journey.
The incident happened at a point that is not recognised as an elephant corridor. According to the officials, the loco pilot caught a glimpse of the herd crossing the tracks, so the emergency brakes were applied. Nonetheless, the herd charged into the train, leading to the crash.
Increasing death of elephants
Last month, an elephant was mangled to death after being hit by a train at Dhupguri in the Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal on November 30. The mature elephant was killed instantly, with the calf found severely injured alongside the tracks.
More than 70 Elephant deaths in five years
At least 79 elephants were killed in train accidents in the past five years, the Environment Ministry told parliament in August.
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In a written response to a Lok Sabha query, Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh said that the total has been computed on the basis of reports received from the states and Union territories from 2020-21 to 2024-25. The ministry does not maintain any such data regarding the death of other animals on railway tracks.
Several steps have been initiated, Singh said, including speed restrictions inside elephant habitats, detection schemes using seismic sensors, underpasses, ramps, and fencing, as well as guidance documents entitled ‘Eco-friendly Measures to Mitigate Impacts of Linear Infrastructure.'
The capacity-building sessions for the railway officials were also undertaken in 2023 and 2024, and surveys carried out in 127 stretches of the railways have helped in identifying areas that require attention.
