Tragic Collision Claims Seven Elephants, Derails Rajdhani Express
In a devastating pre-dawn incident on Saturday, the New Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express from Sairang in Mizoram collided with a herd of wild elephants in central Assam, resulting in the death of seven elephants and the derailment of the locomotive and five coaches. The tragic accident occurred near Sangjurai village in Hojai district, approximately 126 kilometers east of Guwahati.
Authorities confirmed that there were no human fatalities or injuries reported from the crash, which took place around 2 am. The impact was severe, tearing through the Jamunamukh-Kampur section of the Northeast Frontier Railway.
Details of the Herd and Immediate Aftermath
The herd struck by the train was substantial, with villagers estimating it numbered more than 50 elephants. Of the seven elephants killed, four were calves and one was a pregnant female. Four of the deceased were male and three female. An additional calf was injured in the collision. Following autopsies, the elephants were cremated later in the same day.
Senior railway officials from the Maligaon and Lumding headquarters rushed to the site. After detaching the damaged coaches, the Rajdhani Express managed to proceed to Guwahati, arriving at 6:11 am. There, additional coaches were attached before the journey to the national capital resumed.
A Familiar Blame Game Erupts
In the wake of the tragedy, a predictable exchange of accusations unfolded between the forest and railway departments. Forest department sources stated that railway officials had been alerted about the herd's movement near the tracks. "A team of forest guards attempted to drive the herd away from the tracks and was just a few metres away from the herd when the collision took place," an official said.
However, Northeast Frontier Railway Chief Public Relations Officer KK Sharma contested this narrative. He emphasized that the track at Sangjurai is elevated and is not recognized as an official elephant crossing area. "The collision was totally unexpected," Sharma stated, adding that the train driver applied emergency brakes but could not stop in time. He also clarified that the railways had received no specific input about elephants approaching that exact point.
In a procedural move, forest officials seized the train's engine and detained the two drivers. They were released on personal bond after 12 hours.
Gaps in Early Warning Systems and Official Response
Range Forest Officer Shamim Aktar from Kampur provided further context, noting that alerts about elephants moving near the tracks had been issued on Friday evening. "The station master at Kampur was informed about a potential crossing near pillar 125, but the collision occurred 700 to 800 meters away. It was not possible to predict the exact movement point of elephants," she explained.
This incident has highlighted a critical gap in safety infrastructure. About 32 kilometers away, on the tracks between Hawaipur and Lumding, an AI-enabled Intrusion Detection System (IDS) is operational in a notified elephant corridor. This system uses thermal cameras, sensors, and artificial intelligence to detect elephants in low visibility, sending real-time alerts to railway staff and triggering automatic speed restrictions to prevent collisions.
Locals in Sangjurai, which they describe as a known passage for elephants, suggested that a similar system could have averted this tragedy. CPRO KK Sharma confirmed that while about 70 kilometers of rail track in Assam is covered under the IDS, Sangjurai was not one of the installed locations.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed deep sadness over the deaths on social media platform X. He directed the forest department to conduct a detailed inquiry and take steps to further secure wildlife corridors, particularly during seasons of low visibility like winter fog.
Broader Context and Impact
Train-elephant collisions are a recurring tragedy in Assam, where expanding railway infrastructure cuts through ancient migration paths that elephants use to travel between forested hills and cultivated plains. This particular Rajdhani Express service holds significance, having been flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 13 as Mizoram's first Rajdhani train.
The derailment caused significant disruption to rail services. Nine local passenger trains were cancelled, and several long-distance services were regulated. While movement continued on the up line, full restoration of the down line was not achieved by Saturday evening.
As dusk fell over Sangjurai, the fields grew quiet again. With fog returning to the landscape, villagers were left with a haunting question: how many more such crossings would end in similar tragedy?
