A devastating collision early this morning between the Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express and a herd of wild elephants in Assams Hojai district has claimed the lives of at least seven elephants, with one calf injured and the trains engine plus five coaches derailed. The incident unfolded around 2:17 AM in the Jamunamukh-Kampur section of the Lumding Division, about 126 km from Guwahati, where thick fog likely played a role as the loco pilot spotted the herd and hit the emergency brakes—but the elephants dashed into the train anyway.

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No passengers or crew suffered injuries in the chaos, a small mercy amid the tragedy. Railway teams sprang into action, shifting affected travelers to spare berths in other coaches, detaching the damaged sections, and towing them to Guwahati for replacement units. By mid-morning, fresh coaches were attached, and the train resumed its journey to Anand Vihar Terminal in Delhi, while some services rerouted via the UP line to clear backlogs. Helplines at Guwahati station—0361-2731621, 2731622, 2731623—stand ready for inquiries.

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Forest officials, including Nagaon Divisional Forest Officer Suhas Kadam, rushed to the scene for post-mortems, confirming blunt force trauma killed the elephants—three adults and four calves among the seven, per some counts, though eight deaths appear in others. The injured calf received immediate care, but its condition remains critical, highlighting the vulnerability of these family groups. Carcasses were cremated on-site after clearance, as the area isnt a designated elephant corridor, yet herds roam these forested fringes due to shrinking habitats.

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This heartbreaking event underscores a grim trend in Assam, where trains have killed over 70 elephants in the last five years alone, often in similar low-visibility zones. Wildlife experts like Aaranyak CEO Bibhab Talukdar stress the urgent need for better rail-forest coordination, such as real-time elephant tracking shared with loco pilots, AI sensors, night speed limits, and elevated tracks in hotspots. Senior Northeast Frontier Railway officials, including the General Manager and Lumding DRM, oversaw restoration, now complete, but an investigation probes how to avert repeats. As rail expansion meets Northeast Indias biodiversity, this collision serves as a stark call for tech-driven safeguards to protect both vital transport links and endangered pachyderms. Updates on the calf and probe findings are awaited.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from NDTV.