Guwahati, Dec 20: Seven elephants—three adults and four calves were killed early Saturday when the Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express collided with a herd in the Jamunamukh-Kampur section under Lumding Division of Northeast Frontier Railway. The accident derailed the locomotive and five coaches, though no passengers were injured.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed grief over the incident and directed the Forest Department to conduct a detailed enquiry and strengthen security in wildlife corridors, especially during low-visibility periods.

Railway officials said the site, 126 km from Guwahati, is not a designated elephant corridor. The train’s loco pilot had applied emergency brakes on sighting the herd, but the elephants were struck. Restoration work was completed, affected passengers were shifted, and the train resumed after adding extra coaches.

NF Railway highlighted its AI-enabled Intrusion Detection System, covering 141 RKMs, which alerts staff to the presence of elephants near tracks. Tenders have been issued to expand the system to 981 more RKMs to prevent future accidents.