Guwahati: A critically injured elephant calf has died after being hit by a train in Assam’s Nagaon district, taking the death toll from the accident to eight, officials confirmed on December 21.
Forest department sources said the calf, believed to be only two to three days old, breathed its last at the wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre at Panbari in Bokakhat. Veterinary teams had been attending to the newborn continuously since Friday, but the injuries proved fatal.
The incident occurred around 7.30 am on December 20, when a passenger train rammed into a herd of elephants while they were crossing the railway tracks between Jamunamukh and Kampur under the Lumding division of the Northeast Frontier Railway. The calf, which was walking alongside its mother, sustained severe lung injuries and a fractured leg and remained unable to stand or move after the collision.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed deep sorrow over the loss of wildlife and directed the Forest Department to conduct a detailed probe into the circumstances of the accident. He underscored the need for stronger safeguards along known wildlife corridors, especially during hours of poor visibility.
The accident site, located about 126 kilometres from Guwahati, lies along a stretch of railway track frequently used by elephant herds. Conservationists have repeatedly flagged the area as a high-risk zone and have called for reduced train speeds and better monitoring mechanisms.
Wildlife experts noted that such tragedies often occur when elephants move between fragmented forest habitats intersected by railway lines. The latest deaths have once again drawn attention to the growing challenge of balancing rail infrastructure expansion with elephant conservation in Assam.