Seven elephants died in northeast India after a passenger train collided with a herd of pachyderms, authorities announced Saturday.
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No passengers were injured in the accident in Assam state, home to about 4,000 of India’s 22,000 wild elephants.
A senior Assam police official, VV Rakesh Reddy, told AFP that seven elephants had died and an eighth animal had been injured.
The train is heading to New Delhi
The train was heading to New Delhi from the isolated northeastern Indian state of Mizoram. Five wagons were derailed after the impact.
Indian authorities have imposed speed restrictions on stretches known for elephant movements, in order to facilitate the movement of the animals. This latest accident, however, occurred outside these areas, said Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, Indian Railways spokesperson.
“On seeing the herd of elephants, the driver activated the emergency brake. Despite this, the train ended up hitting the animals,” he said.
Deforestation and land expansion around their natural habitat are forcing pachyderms to venture further and further in search of food, exposing them to conflict situations with humans.
According to Indian Parliament data, 629 people died in accidents involving elephants across the country in 2023 and 2024.
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