A Correspondent
NAGAON: In a tragic incident, seven elephants were killed and one calf injured after a herd collided with the Sairang (Mizoram)-New Delhi Rajdhani Express in Hojai in the wee hours of Saturday morning, leading to the disruption of rail services.
Expressing his anguish over the elephant casualties, Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said on social media, "We are deeply saddened by the death of seven elephants - three adults and four calves - in a tragic train collision earlier today...I have directed the Forest Department to conduct a detailed enquiry on this deeply disturbing accident and take steps to further secure our wildlife corridors, particularly during low visibility seasons."
Railway authorities maintained that the incident did not occur in an elephant corridor. The authorities emphasized the need to strengthen preventive measures to avoid such tragic incidents in the future.
According to sources, the accident took place at around 2:17 a.m. when the New Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express struck a herd of elephants that was crossing the railway tracks. Forest department authorities later confirmed that seven elephants were killed in the collision, while one calf was rescued in an injured condition and provided medical attention.
Moreover, a few coaches of the train were also derailed after emergency brakes were applied. The loco pilot reportedly noticed the herd on the tracks and immediately applied emergency brakes. However, despite these efforts, the elephants ran into the train, resulting in the collision and subsequent derailment. There was no report of any passengers or railway staff sustaining injuries in the incident.
The Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express connects Sairang, near Aizawl in Mizoram, with Anand Vihar Terminal in Delhi. The accident site is located approximately 126 kilometres from Guwahati. Following the collision, railway officials and accident relief teams were immediately dispatched to the spot to manage rescue operations and assess the damage.
Sources stated that rail services to Upper Assam and other parts of the Northeast were significantly disrupted due to the derailment and the presence of elephant carcasses on the tracks. As a precautionary measure, several trains passing through the affected section were diverted via alternative routes to minimise inconvenience to passengers.
Restoration work is currently underway to clear the tracks and normalize train operations at the earliest. Forest and railway authorities are working closely at the site to manage the situation and ensure safety. Senior railway officials, including the General Manager of Northeast Frontier Railway and the Divisional Railway Manager of Lumding, have also reached the accident location to oversee the restoration process.
The incident has once again highlighted the growing concern over human-wildlife conflict in the Northeast, particularly the risks posed by railway lines passing through forested and areas other than designated elephant corridors.
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