Seven Elephants Killed in Train Collision in India
By [Ayush kumar], December 20, 2025
In India: 7 elephants killed in passenger train collision
On Saturday, December 20, 2025, at least seven wild elephants were killed when a high-speed passenger train hit a herd in the Hojai district of Assam in northeast India. One young elephant was also injured in the collision, say officials and police. This tragic event has drawn attention to ongoing clashes between India’s railways and its wildlife. News source:- (Ap News).
The accident happened early on Saturday morning at about 2:17 a.m. The Delhi-bound Sairang–New Delhi Rajdhani Express was traveling through a forested area in central Assam when it struck the elephants. Railway officials said the train was moving at normal speed when the herd was seen crossing the tracks. The driver tried to apply emergency brakes, but it was too late.
Local Forest Department staff and railway officers reached the site soon after the crash. They found seven elephants dead near the railway line. The injured calf was taken for medical care. Authorities are now looking after the young elephant and have begun a probe to understand what happened.
The force of the impact was strong enough to derail the locomotive and five coaches of the Rajdhani Express. Even though several coaches were damaged, no passengers or railway workers were reported injured. Railway officials safely moved other passengers from the affected coaches to undamaged ones.
The accident site is located in a forested region about 126 kilometers (78 miles) from Guwahati, the largest city in Assam. Railway officials said the location was not a designated elephant corridor, where trains are meant to slow down to protect wildlife. Still, collisions like this happen often in parts of Assam because the rail lines cut through natural elephant habitats.
Assam is one of the Indian states with the largest population of wild Asiatic elephants, with several thousand living in its forests. These majestic animals roam over large areas, often crossing human settlements, farms, and railway tracks in search of food and water. During certain times of the year, especially around the harvest season, elephants may move farther from deep forest land into human-used areas looking for crops.
Animal conservation groups have long warned about the risks that railways and roads pose to elephants and other wildlife. In Assam, rail lines run through many forested zones and near important elephant habitats. Experts say this increases the chance of dangerous encounters when trains and elephants share the same space.
After the accident, the Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, expressed his deep sorrow over the loss of these protected animals. He said the state government would conduct a detailed investigation and examine ways to prevent similar accidents in the future. The Chief Minister also urged officials to strengthen safety measures, especially during times of low visibility in early mornings or late nights when such collisions are more likely.
Forest officials and wildlife experts say that building elephant underpasses, overpasses, and safe crossings could help reduce the number of accidents. They also propose strict speed limits in areas where elephants frequently cross. Some railway zones in India already use warning signs and slow-down zones in elephant corridors, but more work is needed to cover all risk areas.
In recent years, India has introduced a variety of tools and systems to try to reduce train–elephant collisions. These include using technology to monitor wildlife movements and alert trains ahead of time. Despite this, incidents still happen, demonstrating the challenge of protecting wildlife in regions where infrastructure and forests overlap.
Local villagers and forest workers were saddened by the news of the deaths. Many people in Assam respect elephants, seeing them as a part of their culture and natural heritage. The sight of the injured calf and the bodies of the elephants on the tracks was hard for many to witness.
The Railway Ministry and the Forest Department are now working together to clear the scene and repair the track. Restoration work continues so that trains can run safely through this section again. Trains passing through the area have been diverted while officials make repairs and remove the debris.
The collision highlights ongoing tensions between development and nature conservation. India’s expanding railway network is vital for travel and trade, but it must also be balanced with efforts to protect endangered wildlife. The deaths of these elephants remind the nation of the urgent need for better planning and care at the junction of human transportation and wildlife habitats.
This tragic event is a call for action for both government and communities. It underlines the importance of finding solutions that keep both people and wild animals safe.
Also you know that:- 2025 Big News: GM फसलों पर झुकने को तैयार नहीं भारत, अमेरिका (US) का दबाव जारी: ‘MAGA’ किसानों के लिए इंडिया बना बड़ा दांव