At least seven wild elephants were killed and one calf was critically injured after the Sairang–New Delhi Rajdhani Express collided with a herd in Assam’s Nagaon district early on Saturday, December 20. The impact caused the locomotive and five coaches to derail in the Jamunamukh–Kampur section under the Lumding Division of the Northeast Frontier Railway, officials said.
No passengers were injured in the accident, which occurred about 126 kilometres from Guwahati. Local residents said the herd comprised around eight elephants, most of which were hit by the high-speed train.
Railway authorities rushed accident relief trains, senior officials and emergency teams to the site to restore tracks and clear debris, while Forest Department personnel assessed the wildlife loss and attended to the injured calf. Rail services to Upper Assam and several northeastern destinations were disrupted for several hours.
Railway officials said the site was not a designated elephant corridor and that the loco pilot applied emergency brakes after spotting the animals, but the elephants moved towards the train, making the collision unavoidable. The incident renewed concerns over human–wildlife conflict and safety measures on forested railway stretches in Assam.
