Rajdhani Express Strikes Elephant Herd in Assam, Killing Seven and Derailing Coaches

Tragic Collision: Rajdhani Express Strikes Elephant Herd in Assam, Killing Seven and Derailing Coaches

PAHARI BARUAH

December 21, 2025 – In a heartbreaking incident that underscores the growing conflict between India’s expanding rail network and its dwindling wildlife habitats, seven wild Asiatic elephants – including three adults and four calves – were killed early Saturday when the Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express collided with a herd crossing the tracks in Assam’s Hojai district. One calf was critically injured, while the impact derailed the train’s locomotive and five coaches. Miraculously, none of the approximately 650 passengers aboard were harmed.

The accident occurred around 2:17 a.m. in the Jamunamukh – Kampur section under the Lumding Division of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), about 126 km southeast of Guwahati, in the Changjurai area. A large herd of around 100 elephants was attempting to cross the tracks amid heavy winter fog, which likely reduced visibility. The loco pilot spotted the animals, applied emergency brakes, and slowed the train, but the momentum carried it into the herd, according to NFR Chief Public Relations Officer Kapinjal Kishore Sharma.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed profound grief, stating on X: “We are deeply saddened by the death of seven elephants – three adults and four calves – in a tragic train collision earlier today. I have directed the Forest Department to conduct a detailed enquiry on this deeply disturbing accident and take steps to further secure our wildlife corridors, particularly during low visibility seasons.“

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Forest and Environment Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary called the deaths a “matter of grave concern” and directed senior officials to engage with Indian Railways to prevent recurrences.

Conservationists urged stronger measures. B Talukdar of Aaranyak highlighted the need for better coordination between railways and forest departments to track elephant movements, especially in winter. D Borah of Hati Bondhu suggested thermal camera-based early warning systems, noting that accidents can occur beyond official corridors.

Assam, home to an estimated 7,000 Asiatic elephants – one of India’s highest concentrations – has a grim history of such incidents. Between 2009-10 and 2020-21, the state recorded 62 elephant deaths on railway tracks, the highest nationally out of 186 total, according to Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) data obtained via RTI. Nationwide, 81 elephants died in train collisions from 2019-2024, with at least a dozen in Assam since 2020 alone.

Mitigation efforts include a Permanent Coordination Committee between the Railway Board and MoEFCC, speed restrictions in vulnerable areas, vegetation clearance for better visibility, signage, underpasses/overpasses, and AI-based intrusion detection systems. Over ₹212 crore was allocated to elephant-range states under Project Elephant from 2011-21. Yet, critics argue implementation gaps persist, with fog, high speeds, and encroaching habitats exacerbating risks.

This tragedy – one of the deadliest single-incident elephant killings by train in recent years – has reignited calls for urgent, enforceable solutions to protect India’s national heritage animal amid rapid infrastructure growth. As investigations proceed, it serves as a stark reminder of the human cost to wildlife in a shared landscape.

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