Centre seeks report after Seven Elephants killed in Assam train accident

Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav on Sunday said the Centre has sought a detailed report on the death of seven elephants that were hit by a train in Assam’s Hojai district, even as all states have been directed to closely monitor elephant movement along railway tracks.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting on Project Elephant and the National Tiger Conservation Authority in the Sundarbans in West Bengal, Yadav said railway authorities have been instructed to coordinate closely with state forest departments to prevent such incidents. He stressed that real-time communication between loco pilots and forest officials is crucial, particularly in elephant corridors intersecting railway lines.

“The railway authorities have been directed to coordinate with the forest departments of states on elephant movement along the tracks,” the minister said, underlining the need for heightened vigilance in vulnerable zones.

The minister’s remarks come a day after seven elephants were killed and one injured when a herd was struck by the Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express in the early hours of Saturday in Assam’s Hojai district. The collision led to the derailment of five coaches and the train’s engine, disrupting rail services on the route.

Yadav also said district magistrates across states have been asked to keep forest departments regularly informed about elephant movement along highways, as part of a broader effort to reduce human-wildlife conflict and prevent accidents involving wildlife.

The incident has once again highlighted the risks posed by rail and road networks passing through elephant habitats and the need for coordinated action between multiple agencies to safeguard wildlife.