Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
He said that five coaches and the engine of the train also derailed. Initially, all eight elephants were reported dead, although it was later said that one of the calves was found injured.
He said that no passenger was injured in this accident which happened at 2.17 am.
#Watch Assam Train no. Seven elephants died after being hit by it. 20507 DN Sairang – New Delhi Rajdhani Express collided with elephants in Jamunamukh – Kampur section under Lumding Division of NF Railway: Nagaon Division Forest Officer.
(scene from the spot) https://t.co/4Oqx0F5bqo pic.twitter.com/rQt0jABhFl
– ANI (@ANI) 20 December 2025
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has asked the forest department to conduct a detailed investigation and secure the wildlife corridors, while state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi has blamed “unplanned and poorly regulated development under the present government” for the accident.
Top officials of the forest department have reached the spot and will take up the matter with railway officials to prevent recurrence of such incidents.
Many trains have been cancelled, regulated or short-terminated following the accident.
Nagaon divisional forest officer Suhas Kadam told PTI that the accident at Changjurai village was likely to have occurred due to dense fog in the area.
“The post-mortem of the dead Jumbo is underway, and the injured Jumbo is being treated by local veterinary doctors. The last rites will be performed near the accident site. Legal formalities are being followed,” he said.
NFR chief spokesperson Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said the accident occurred in the Jamunamukh-Kampur section under Lumding division, about 126 km from Guwahati.
Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express connects Sairang (near Aizawl) in Mizoram with Anand Vihar Terminal in Delhi.
He claimed that the accident occurred at a location which is not a designated elephant corridor. “The train driver applied emergency brakes after seeing the herd of elephants. However, the elephants collided with the train,” he said.
Sharma said accident relief trains and top officials including the general manager of NFR and the divisional railway manager of Lumding reached the spot immediately after the accident.
He informed that helpline numbers – 0361-2731621 / 2731622 / 2731623 – have been activated at Guwahati Railway Station.
An NFR spokesperson said passengers of the affected coaches were temporarily accommodated on vacant berths available in other coaches, and the train, except the derailed coaches, left the site at 6:11 am for Guwahati.
The passengers will be accommodated in additional coaches, which will be attached to the train at Guwahati and the train will then resume its journey, he said.
Sharma said trains passing through the affected section have been diverted from the up line and repair work is underway.
He further said that after the accident, nine trains have been cancelled, 13 have been regulated and two have been short terminated.
Queen of the New Tinsua Exps, Parent Jorath of the Town Jan Shat Exps, Future-Cove-Barring Vistress Exp, and New Tinsut Exps Exps.
Train No. 15769 (Alipurduar-Mariani) will be short-terminated at Digaru and kept canceled between Digaru-Mariani, and 15770 (Mariani-Alipurduar) will be short-terminated at Digaru and kept canceled between Mariani-Digaru on the day.
Among the trains regulated are Sealdah-Sabroom Kanchanjunga Express, Dibrugarh-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, Dibrugarh-Kanyakumari Vivek Express, and New Tinsukia-SMVT Bengaluru Express, Sharma added.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister has ordered a thorough investigation into the accident.
“We are deeply saddened by the death of seven elephants – three adults and four calves – in a tragic train collision this morning,” he said in a post on X.
“I have directed the forest department to conduct a detailed investigation into this extremely disturbing accident and take steps to secure our wildlife corridors especially during the low visibility season,” Sarma said.
Assam Environment and Forest Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary also said in a post on the social media site that Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Chief of Forest Force, Assam and PCCF (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, Assam, have reached the accident site to take stock of the situation and initiate necessary measures.
“PCCF and HOFF, Assam and PCCF (Wildlife) and CWW, Assam have been directed to take up the matter with senior-most officials of Indian Railways to prevent recurrence of such tragic incidents in future,” he said.
State Congress president Gaurav Gogoi said Jumbo’s death was “a matter of grave concern and underlines the growing challenge of man-animal conflict in the state”.
In a post on X, he said such incidents point to “the rapid loss and fragmentation of natural habitats in recent years”.
“Unplanned and poorly regulated development under the current government has led to forest cover shrinking and traditional migration routes being disrupted, with little attention being paid to ecological safeguards,” Gogoi said.
He claimed that such accidents are happening continuously due to lack of foresight and accountability.
“Development policies must prioritize people, communities and the environment rather than short-term profits. Ignoring this balance leads to ecological damage and social costs for Assam,” Gogoi said.