NEW DELHI: At least eight elephants were killed and one sustained injuries after a herd was struck by the Sairang–New Delhi Rajdhani Express in Assam’s Hojai district during the early hours of Saturday, a forest official said.
The impact caused the engine and five coaches of the New Delhi-bound train to derail. No passengers were injured, a spokesperson for the Northeast Frontier Railway confirmed. The accident occurred around 2.17 am.
Nagaon divisional forest officer Suhash Kadam told PTI that the collision took place near Changjurai in Hojai district. Forest officials rushed to the site soon after being alerted.
Railway authorities said services on the Jamunamukh–Kampur section have been disrupted. Trains scheduled to pass through the affected stretch are being diverted via the UP line while restoration work continues.
The Sairang–New Delhi Rajdhani Express operates between Sairang near Aizawl and the Anand Vihar Terminal.
