Guwahati, December 20: The death of seven wild elephants after being hit by the Sairang Rajdhani Express in Assam early Saturday has sparked renewed concern over human–wildlife conflict and raised serious
questions about the implementation of promised safety measures along railway tracks.
Incident occurred in Lumding Railway Division
The incident occurred at around 2.15 am in the Jamunamukh–Kampur section under the Lumding Railway Division of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), nearly 126 km from Guwahati. Train No. 20507 collided with a herd of elephants that had strayed onto the tracks, leading to the derailment of the locomotive and five coaches.
Railways confirm no passenger casualties
Confirming the incident, NFR CPRO Kapinjal Kishore Sharma described it as “unfortunate” but said there were no injuries or casualties among passengers. “The loco pilot applied emergency brakes after spotting the herd, but the elephants came into contact with the train. All passengers are safe,” Sharma said.
Rescue operations and passenger assistance launched
Accident relief trains and senior railway officials, including the general manager of NF Railway and the divisional railway manager of Lumding, rushed to the site. Helpline numbers were activated at Guwahati railway station to assist passengers’ families. Those travelling in the affected coaches were safely evacuated and temporarily accommodated in vacant berths of other coaches.
Train resumes journey after damaged coaches detached
After detaching the damaged coaches, the Rajdhani Express resumed its journey towards Guwahati at around 6.15 am. Railway officials said additional coaches would be attached at Guwahati before the train proceeds further. Rail traffic on the Jamunamukh–Kampur section was disrupted, with trains diverted through the UP line as restoration work continued on a war footing.
Forest department confirms elephant fatalities
Forest department sources confirmed that seven elephants died on the spot due to the impact, while one injured elephant was rescued and is undergoing treatment. Although the site is not a designated elephant corridor, the incident has highlighted the increasing movement of elephants near railway tracks, particularly during nighttime hours.
Environmentalists criticise railway safety measures
While passengers expressed relief over their safety, the loss of seven elephants has cast a heavy shadow over the incident.
Environmentalists and wildlife activists have sharply criticised the railway authorities, alleging failure to implement advanced safety systems meant to prevent such tragedies.
Questions raised over past assurances
Prominent environmental activist Dilip Nath held the Northeast Frontier Railway accountable, recalling assurances made earlier by railway officials. “This is a heartbreaking incident. The N.F. Railway general manager Anshul Gupta had publicly stated on March 19, 2023 that there would be no further elephant deaths on railway tracks. What happened to that promise?” Nath asked.
AI-based ‘Gajraj Suraksha’ system cited
Nath pointed out that NFR had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with RailTel Corporation of India to deploy an Artificial Intelligence-enabled Intrusion Detection System (IDS), known as the “Gajraj Suraksha” system, across sensitive stretches.
The system uses Distributed Acoustic Sensing technology to detect vibrations caused by elephants moving near tracks and can send real-time alerts to loco pilots, station masters and control rooms, potentially 30–40 minutes before animals reach the tracks.
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Failure of implementation alleged
“Had this system been properly implemented, the deaths of seven elephants could have been prevented,” Nath alleged, questioning whether the project was executed sincerely.
He also stressed that unless forest encroachments are cleared and elephants are provided safe habitats, human–elephant conflict will continue to claim lives, both animal and human.
