Eight elephants killed as Rajdhani Express hits herd in Assam’s Hojai district

Eight elephants were killed and one was injured after a herd was struck by the Sairang–New Delhi Rajdhani Express in Assam’s Hojai district early Saturday, a forest department official said.

The collision caused the locomotive and five coaches of the train to derail. However, no passengers were hurt, according to a spokesperson of the Northeast Frontier Railway.

The New Delhi-bound Rajdhani was involved in the accident at around 2.17 am. Nagaon divisional forest officer Suhash Kadam said the incident took place near the Changjurai area of Hojai district.

Forest officials, including Kadam, rushed to the spot soon after the incident. Railway authorities have diverted trains passing through the Jamunamukh–Kampur section via the UP line as restoration and repair work continues.

The Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express operates between Sairang near Aizawl in Mizoram and Anand Vihar Terminal in the national capital.

(with inputs from agencies)