Five coaches, engine of Rajdhani Express derail after hitting elephant herd in Assam; seven jumbos dead

GUWAHATI, DEC 20 : The down Sairang–New Delhi Rajdhani Express engine and five coaches derailed early on Saturday morning after the train collided with a herd of elephants on the Jamunamukh–Kampur section under the Lumding Division of N.F. Railway.

However, no casualties of passengers have been reported so far, and officials from N.F. Railway rushed to the site, which is about 126 km from Guwahati. A source said that seven elephants died after being knocked down by the train on the section.

Confirming the incident, N.F. Railway said in a statement that accident relief trains, along with officials from the divisional headquarters, have reached the site. Helpline numbers have already been activated at Guwahati railway station: 0361-2731621 / 2731622 / 2731623.

Senior railway officers, including the General Manager of N.F. Railway and the Divisional Railway Manager of Lumding, have also rushed to the site.

 “The passengers of the affected coaches were temporarily accommodated in the vacant berths available in other coaches. After the affected coaches were detached, the train left the site for Guwahati,” the NFR said in a statement.

The derailed train left the site for Guwahati at 06.11 am. Once the train reaches Guwahati, additional coaches will be added to accommodate passengers from the affected coaches, after which the train will resume its onward journey. The restoration works have been completed, an official said.

“The incident took place at a location which is not a designated elephant corridor. The loco pilot on observing the herd of elephants applied emergency brakes. However, elephants dashed with the train,” the statement further stated.

The loco pilot, on spotting the herd of elephants, applied emergency brakes. However, the elephants collided with the train. Trains scheduled to pass through the section are being diverted through the UP line, and restoration work is under way.

This is not the first such incident in Assam. There have been several incidents where elephants died after being hit by trains.

In the last few years, more than 81 elephants have died in the country after being hit by trains.

-PTI