Seven Elephants Killed After High-Speed Train Derails in Northeastern India
GUWAHATI, India — A high-speed passenger train collided with a herd of wild Asiatic elephants in Assam on Saturday, resulting in the deaths of seven elephants and injuries to a calf, officials confirmed. The Rajdhani Express, carrying approximately 650 passengers from Sairang in Mizoram state to New Delhi, struck the herd while traveling through the Hojai district. Despite the collision causing the derailment of the engine and five coaches, all passengers escaped without injury.
The train’s driver spotted about 100 elephants crossing the tracks and applied emergency brakes, but the impact was unavoidable, according to Indian Railways spokesman Kapinjal Kishore Sharma. “We delinked the coaches which were not derailed, and the train resumed its journey for New Delhi,” Sharma said. Around 200 passengers from the derailed coaches were transferred to another train bound for Guwahati.
Elephants are a common presence in Assam, home to an estimated 7,000 wild Asiatic elephants, a species listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Train-related elephant fatalities have been a persistent issue in the region, with at least a dozen elephants killed on railway tracks in Assam since 2020.
Veterinarians conducted necropsies on the deceased elephants, and burial arrangements were scheduled for later Saturday. Wildlife conservationists have long warned about the dangers posed to elephants by expanding railway networks that intersect their migratory routes. The collision underscores the ongoing challenge of balancing infrastructure development with wildlife preservation in India.
India’s Ministry of Railways has previously implemented measures such as speed restrictions and elephant detection systems in sensitive zones to reduce such incidents. However, the rapid growth of rail traffic and increasing human-wildlife conflict continue to pose risks. The Indian Railways is working closely with environmental agencies to enhance safety protocols.
Environmental groups emphasize the importance of maintaining natural corridors for elephant movement to prevent future tragedies. Assam’s forests and grasslands provide critical habitat for the species, which faces threats from habitat fragmentation and poaching. The World Wildlife Fund highlights that only an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 Asiatic elephants remain in the wild globally.
The incident has drawn attention to the need for increased investment in wildlife-friendly infrastructure and monitoring technologies. The Conservation India organization advocates for comprehensive strategies combining community engagement, technological innovation, and policy enforcement to safeguard endangered species.
While the train derailment disrupted travel temporarily, the priority remains the preservation of Assam’s unique biodiversity and the safety of both wildlife and human populations. This tragic event serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between modernization and conservation in one of the world’s most ecologically rich regions.
Leave a Reply