• Seven elephants were killed in Assam when a train collided with a herd early Saturday.
• The train, traveling from Mizoram to New Delhi, derailed but no human injuries were reported.
• Authorities noted that the accident site is not a designated elephant corridor.

In a tragic incident in Assam, a passenger train collided with a herd of elephants, resulting in the death of seven wild Asiatic elephants and the injury of a calf. The accident occurred early Saturday when the Rajdhani Express, traveling from Sairang to New Delhi, struck the elephants crossing the tracks. Despite the train driver applying emergency brakes upon spotting the herd, the collision still occurred, leading to the derailment of five coaches. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported among the 650 passengers onboard, according to Indiatimes, CBS News, and LA Times.

Authorities revealed that the collision happened in a forested area not classified as an elephant corridor, although Assam is known for having one of the highest populations of wild Asiatic elephants in India, estimated at around 7,000. Indian Railways has previously faced criticism for accidents involving trains and elephants, with at least a dozen elephants killed by speeding trains since 2020. The incident underscores the risks elephants face as they often stray onto railway lines, particularly during harvesting season when they seek food, as noted by CBS News and LA Times.

Emergency teams, including veterinarians, were dispatched to the site for investigations and to conduct autopsies on the deceased elephants. The situation has prompted calls for improved safety measures on railway tracks frequently crossed by wildlife, with advocates pointing to the increasing number of fatalities as a significant concern for both elephants and train travel in Assam, according to Indiatimes and LA Times.