At least seven elephants were killed and one calf injured after a herd collided with the Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express in Assam's Hojai on Saturday morning, leading to disruption of rail services.
The Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express struck a herd of elephants, resulting in the derailment of the locomotive and five coaches. No passenger casualties or injuries were reported, officials said.
The New Delhi-bound train met with the accident around 2.17 am, PTI reported. The Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express connects Mizoram's Sairang (near Aizawl) to Anand Vihar Terminal (Delhi).
Railway has issued helpline numbers at the Guwahati Railway Station:-
• 0361-2731621
• 0361-2731622
• 0361-2731623
The accident site is located about 126 km from Guwahati. Following the incident, accident relief trains and railway officials rushed to the spot to initiate rescue operations.
Train Services Disrupted
Sources said that due to the derailment and elephant body parts scattered on the tracks, train services to Upper Assam and other parts of the Northeast were affected.
Passengers from the affected coaches were temporarily accommodated in vacant berths available in other coaches of the train. Once the train reaches Guwahati, additional coaches will be attached to accommodate all passengers, after which the train will resume its onward journey.
The incident occurred at a location that is not a designated elephant corridor. The loco pilot, upon spotting the herd on the tracks, applied emergency brakes. Despite this, the elephants dashed into the train, leading to the collision and derailment.
Last month, an elephant was killed after being hit by a train in Dhupguri in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district. The incident took place on November 30.
The adult elephant was killed on the spot, and a calf was discovered lying injured beside the tracks.
Over 70 Elephants Killed In Train Collisions Over Last 5 Years
At least 79 elephants have died in train collisions across the country in the last five years, the Environment Ministry had informed Parliament in August.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh had said the figure is based on reports from state governments and Union Territory administrations for the period 2020-21 to 2024-25.
He said that the ministry does not maintain consolidated data on the deaths of other wild animals on railway tracks, including in designated elephant corridors.
Singh confirmed that three elephants, including a mother and her calf, were killed on July 18 this year after being hit by a speeding express train on the Kharagpur-Tatanagar section in West Bengal's Paschim Midnapore district. The incident took place near Banstala between Jhargram and Banstala stations.
The minister said several measures have been taken jointly by the Environment Ministry and the Railways to prevent such accidents.
These include imposing speed restrictions in elephant habitats, pilot projects such as seismic sensor-based detection of elephants near tracks and construction of underpasses, ramps and fencing at vulnerable points.
The Wildlife Institute of India, in consultation with the ministry and other stakeholders, has also issued guidelines titled 'Eco-friendly Measures to Mitigate Impacts of Linear Infrastructure' to help agencies design railways and other projects in ways that reduce human-animal conflicts.
Singh added that capacity-building workshops were conducted for railway officials at the Wildlife Institute of India in 2023 and 2024 to raise awareness on elephant conservation and protection.
A detailed report titled 'Suggested Measures to Mitigate Elephant & Other Wildlife Train Collisions on Vulnerable Railway Stretches in India' had also been prepared after surveys across 127 railway stretches covering 3,452 km.
Of these, 77 stretches spanning 1,965 km in 14 states were prioritised for mitigation, with site-specific interventions suggested.
Comments
First of all, Hindu religion is recognized fro AHIMSA non voilant - Which was proven by our Father Of Nation Mahtma Gandhi. Who spent his whole life for the sake of all INDIANS and not or his self benifit. Only because of his daring step and policy all patriot Indians united and fought for the Independnece wiht out any cast adn colour discrepnacy.
The group supported the british behind the screen and with in short perod of our independence assasinated
the mahtma and now talking ablut Hindu religion by regularly holding a lathi is not the sign of HINDU religion. In Hindu religion all are with ONE status adn there is no upper and lower cast. All human created by ONE god. Then how come there is upper cast brhamin. Why these rss terrorists omit cast poison all over India. This fellow bhagawath and his terrorist group as no rght to talk abuot hindu religion. Shortly rss is ONLY the enemy of Hindu and Hindustan.
All must boycot and kick vanish them from our graeat India.
Jai Hind !
The people who worship IDOL will directly go to Hell forever there is no second chance in this..
people must think who created idol first, its a man made item which you cannot bow down.
now in india many babas takes advantage of it, even politician
GOD says clearly there is no image of him, he is supreme and we cant see him bcoz our eye dont have capability.
This ch**iya man talks about patrotism, they are the people who are slave of british when people of real indian fighting for freedom.
patriotism does not comes by ugly mouth, this shoul come from action when it need for our country.
dont ever belive these marons will fight to defend india when it need.
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