Guwahati, Jan 15: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) sought responses from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and other concerned authorities in connection with the death of seven elephants that were run over by a Rajdhani Express near Guwahati in December last year.
The tribunal took suo motu cognisance of the incident while hearing a matter based on a newspaper report that detailed the accident. As per the report, seven elephants were killed on December 20, 2025, after the Sairang–New Delhi Rajdhani Express hit a herd on the Jamunamukh–Kampur stretch under the Lumding division of the Northeast Frontier Railway. The collision also resulted in the derailment of the locomotive and five coaches of the train.
In an order passed on January 5, the green body noted that “prima facie the facts and circumstances emerging from the news item raise substantial questions relating to the environment,” and held that the matter required further consideration.
The NGT impleaded the CPCB, the Assam government represented by its special chief secretary (environment), the principal chief conservator of forests, and the Assam State Pollution Control Board as respondents. Notices were issued to all the parties, directing them to submit their replies.
The tribunal also ordered that the case be listed before its eastern zonal bench in Kolkata on January 28 for further hearing.
