Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed profound sorrow on December 20 following the tragic deaths of seven elephants that were struck by the Rajdhani Express. In a statement on social media, he declared that the state government was “deeply saddened” by this loss of wildlife and instructed the Forest Department to launch a thorough investigation into the incident. The Chief Minister emphasized the necessity of enhancing protective measures for wildlife corridors, especially during periods of low visibility, which increase the chances of such accidents.
The incident occurred in Assam’s Nagaon district in the Jamunamukh–Kampur section of the Lumding Division of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR). Early on Saturday, the Sairang–New Delhi Rajdhani Express collided with a herd of elephants crossing the tracks, resulting in the derailment of the locomotive along with five coaches. Fortunately, railway authorities confirmed that no passengers were injured during the accident.
Witnesses and forest officials noted that the herd consisted of about eight elephants, including adults and calves. Seven elephants-three adults and four calves-were killed upon impact, while one calf sustained serious injuries and was taken for veterinary care. The site of the accident is located approximately 126 kilometers from Guwahati, an area notorious for frequent elephant crossings.
In the immediate aftermath of the derailment, relief trains, senior railway officials, and emergency response teams were dispatched to manage rescue operations, remove debris, and repair the damaged track. Additionally, Forest Department personnel arrived to evaluate the extent of wildlife loss and to help treat the injured calf.
According to railway sources, the presence of elephant carcasses, damaged coaches, and debris led to significant disruption of train services, severely impacting connectivity to Upper Assam and other northeastern regions. Restoration efforts took several hours as officials worked to restore normal rail operations.
Passengers aboard the affected Rajdhani Express were temporarily accommodated in available berths within other coaches. Railway officials announced that once the train arrived in Guwahati, additional coaches would be attached to ensure all passengers had adequate seating before continuing their journey to New Delhi.
This incident has reignited discussions about elephant fatalities along railway tracks in Assam, where critical wildlife corridors overlap with busy train routes. Conservationists have consistently advocated for speed restrictions, improved warning systems, and closer collaboration between railway and forest authorities to avert such tragedies.
As investigations commence, this collision serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need to harmonize infrastructure development with ecological responsibility in one of India’s most wildlife-rich regions.
