Eight elephants died and one another was injured after a herd was hit by the Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express in Assam‘s Hojai district in the early hours of Saturday, a forest official said, reported PTI. Due to the impact of the collision, five coaches of the train and the engine derailed.
However, no passenger was injured in the incident, said a Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) spokesperson.
The incident occurred at about 02.17 am, in Maligaon, Assam at the Jamunamukh – Kampur section under Lumding Division of NF Railway. Train no. 20507 DN Sairang – New Delhi Rajdhani Express suddenly dashed with elephants, resulting in derailment of the locomotive and five coaches of the train.
Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, Chief Public Relations Officer of the Northeast Frontier Railway confirmed no casualties or injuries to any passenger have occurred. Meanwhile, accident Relief trains, along with officials from the divisional HQ, are already at the site, he added.
Nagaon divisional forest officer Suhash Kadam told PTI that the incident occurred at Changjurai area of Hojai district. As a result, the train operations in the area have been hit with all now being diverted through the UP line, and restoration work is underway.
The Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express connects Mizoram’s Sairang (near Aizawl) to Anand Vihar Terminal (Delhi). |
