Five coaches, engine of Rajdhani Express derail after hitting elephant herd in Assam; seven jumbos dead

GUWAHATI: The down Sairang–New Delhi Rajdhani Express engine and five coaches derailed early on Saturday morning after the train collided with a herd of elephants on the Jamunamukh–Kampur section under the Lumding Division of N.F. Railway. However, no casualties of passengers have been reported so far, and officials from N.F. Railway rushed to the site, which is about 126 km from Guwahati. A source said that seven elephants died after being knocked down by the train on the section.Confirming the incident, N.F. Railway said in a statement that accident relief trains, along with officials from the divisional headquarters, have reached the site. Helpline numbers have already been activated at Guwahati railway station: 0361-2731621 / 2731622 / 2731623.Senior railway officers, including the General Manager of N.F. Railway and the Divisional Railway Manager of Lumding, have also rushed to the site. “The passengers of the affected coaches were temporarily accommodated in the vacant berths available in other coaches. After the affected coaches were detached, the train left the site for Guwahati,” the NFR said in a statement.



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