A tragic incident occurred in Assam, India, early on Saturday when a high-speed passenger train collided with a herd of wild Asiatic elephants, resulting in the deaths of seven elephants and injuring a calf. The train, operated by Indian Railways, was traveling from Sairang in Mizoram state towards New Delhi when the collision took place approximately 78 miles southeast of Guwahati, the capital of Assam.
According to Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, a spokesperson for Indian Railways, the train driver spotted the herd of about 100 elephants and activated the emergency brakes. Despite this action, the train struck several of the animals. The impact caused the derailment of five train coaches and the engine; fortunately, there were no human casualties reported.
Immediate Aftermath and Response
Veterinarians conducted autopsies on the deceased elephants, and plans were made for their burial later in the day. The location of the accident has been identified as a forested area, which is known for elephant crossings, although it is not classified as a designated elephant corridor. Trains operating through the country’s wildlife corridors are mandated to reduce speed in order to minimize the risk of such collisions.
The Rajdhani Express, carrying approximately 650 passengers, resumed its journey after the accident. Sharma noted that the coaches which did not derail were delinked, allowing the train to continue to New Delhi. Passengers from the derailed coaches were subsequently transferred to another train heading to Guwahati.
Ongoing Risks to Wildlife
The collision highlights a concerning trend in Assam, a region home to an estimated 7,000 wild Asiatic elephants, one of the highest concentrations of these animals in India. Since 2020, at least a dozen elephants have lost their lives due to train strikes, with government data indicating an average of 20 elephant fatalities from train accidents annually. These deaths often occur when elephants traverse railway lines that intersect their natural habitats.
The incident has drawn attention to the broader issue of wildlife safety on railways. Recently, an elephant hospital was inaugurated in Mathura, and the southern state of Tamil Nadu has implemented a surveillance system using artificial intelligence and machine learning to prevent future elephant deaths on railways.
As the harvesting season for rice fields approaches, wild elephants frequently wander into human settlements in search of food, increasing the likelihood of such tragic encounters. The situation calls for enhanced measures to protect both human and wildlife interests as railway operations continue in these sensitive areas.
