A tragic incident unfolded in Assam’s Jorhat district as an adult male elephant lost its life after being struck by a speeding train near Mariani Railway Station. The collision occurred around 11:30 pm on a Saturday. Despite immediate efforts by forest officials and a team of doctors to provide treatment, the elephant succumbed to its severe injuries the following Sunday morning.
Eyewitnesses reported that a herd of elephants was crossing the railway track when the speeding train approached. While most elephants managed to safely traverse the track, one was caught under the train and dragged for approximately 100 meters.
The Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), Sabyasachi De, clarified that the Vivek Superfast Express train (Dibrugarh–Kanyakumari) accidentally struck the elephant. Although locomotive pilots are instructed to exercise caution in sensitive areas, the location of the incident was not a typical elephant route.
This unfortunate event highlights the ongoing human-elephant conflict in Assam, where several such incidents have been recorded. Efforts are underway to address the issue, including the creation of elephant corridors. Last year, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced plans for these corridors to mitigate conflicts and enhance the safety of both humans and elephants.