Overview
- The collision occurred near Changjurai at night as a herd of about 100 elephants attempted to cross the tracks.
- The driver engaged the emergency brake, but the impact killed seven elephants and injured a calf, derailing five coaches and the locomotive.
- Roughly 200 passengers from the derailed coaches were evacuated to another train with no injuries reported among passengers or crew.
- Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma called the incident "deeply disturbing" and ordered an investigation, while Indian Railways said the site is not a designated elephant corridor.
- Government figures cite roughly 79–80 elephant deaths from train strikes in five years, and authorities are prioritizing high‑risk sections with speed limits, detection pilots, and wildlife crossings, with this location under review.