In Assam, seven elephants were killed, and one was injured after a herd of jumbos was hit by the Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express in Hojai district early this morning. Officials said, five coaches and the train’s engine were also derailed. No passengers were injured in the accident, which occurred at 2.17 am.

 

Nagaon divisional forest officer Suhash Kadam said that the accident in Changjurai village is suspected to have occurred due to heavy fog in the area. NFR chief spokesperson Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said the accident took place in the Jamunamukh- Kampur section under the Lumding division.

 

The area is about 126 km from Guwahati. He claimed that the accident took place at a location which is not a designated elephant corridor. Mr Sharma said accident relief trains, along with top officials from the divisional headquarters, have already reached the site. The Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express connects Mizoram’s Sairang (near Aizawl) to the Anand Vihar Terminal in Delhi.