Assam: 8 elephants killed as 5 coaches of Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express derail in Hoja, rescue operation underway

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In the early hours of Saturday, a tragic incident occurred in Assam’s Hojai district when the Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express derailed, resulting in the death of at least eight elephants and the injury of another. The accident took place around 2:17 am in the Changjurai area.

A Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) spokesperson reported that five coaches and the engine of the train, which travels between Mizoram’s Sairang and Delhi’s Anand Vihar Terminal, derailed. Fortunately, no passengers were hurt. Senior officials from the forest and railway departments have reached the site, which is approximately 126 km from Guwahati, and a rescue operation is currently in progress.

The derailment has significantly impacted train services in Assam. The NFR announced that trains scheduled to pass through the affected Jamunamukh Kampur section will now be diverted via the UP line. According to the statement, the loco pilot had applied emergency brakes upon spotting the elephant herd, but was unable to prevent the collision.

“The derailed train, after detaching the affected coaches, has left the site for Guwahati,” the statement read. “Once the train reaches Guwahati, additional coaches will be added to accommodate the passengers of the affected coaches, and the train will resume its journey.”

The incident has renewed existing concerns about the safety of wild animals, especially elephants, on railway tracks. In response, the Indian Railways has implemented several measures to prevent such accidents. Earlier in March, the railways introduced an AI-enabled Intrusion Detection System (IDS) designed to detect elephants on tracks.

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