At least seven elephants were killed and one was injured after the Sairang New Delhi Rajdhani Express rammed into a herd in Assam’s Hojai district in the early hours of Saturday. The accident occurred around 2.17 am, triggering widespread concern over wildlife safety and rail operations in forested regions.
Initial reports suggested that all eight elephants had died in the collision, but officials later confirmed that one calf survived with injuries. No passengers were hurt in the mishap, according to authorities.
Senior forest department officials rushed to the site soon after the incident and confirmed that autopsies of the dead elephants were underway, while veterinary teams began treatment for the injured calf. Cremation of the carcasses is being carried out near the accident location, with all legal procedures being followed.
The incident took place at Changjurai village in the Jamunamukh Kampur section under the Lumding railway division, approximately 126 kilometres from Guwahati. Officials suspect that heavy fog in the area may have contributed to poor visibility at the time of the collision.
The Northeast Frontier Railway stated that the location was not officially marked as an elephant corridor. According to railway officials, the train driver applied emergency brakes after spotting the herd, but the elephants collided with the train before it could come to a complete halt. Accident relief trains and senior railway officials, including the general manager and divisional railway manager, reached the site shortly after the incident.
The Sairang New Delhi Rajdhani Express, which connects Mizoram’s Sairang near Aizawl to the Anand Vihar Terminal in Delhi, resumed movement towards Guwahati without the affected coaches at 6.11 am. Passengers were temporarily accommodated in vacant berths in other coaches, and additional coaches are set to be attached at Guwahati before the train continues its onward journey.
Rail traffic in the affected section was severely disrupted following the collision. Several trains were cancelled, diverted, regulated, or short terminated as restoration work began. Railway authorities confirmed that nine trains were cancelled, 13 regulated, and two short terminated for the day, while others were diverted through alternative routes. Helpline numbers were also activated at Guwahati railway station to assist passengers.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed deep sorrow over the loss of wildlife and ordered a thorough enquiry into the incident. He directed the forest department to investigate the circumstances leading to the accident and to strengthen wildlife corridors, especially during seasons of low visibility.
Environment and Forest Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said that top forest officials, including the principal chief conservator of forests and the chief wildlife warden, have been asked to coordinate with senior Indian Railways officials to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Meanwhile, state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi termed the deaths deeply concerning and blamed unplanned and poorly regulated development for increasing human animal conflict in Assam. He pointed to shrinking forest cover and disrupted migration routes as major factors behind the rising number of such accidents, calling for development policies that balance infrastructure growth with ecological protection.
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