Guwahati, Dec 20: Train movement has been affected in Assam on Saturday, after seven elephants were killed and one was injured when a herd of pachyderms was hit by the Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express in Hojai district early on Saturday, an official said.
Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) chief spokesperson Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said nine trains have been cancelled, 13 regulated, and two short-terminated following the accident.
Five coaches and the train’s engine were also derailed in the accident, though no passenger was injured, he said.
“In view of the derailment of train no. 20507 DN Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express in the Jamunamukh-Kampur section under Lumding division, train running through the down line in the Lumding-Guwahati section has been affected,” Sharma said.
He added that the NFR general manager and senior railway officials are at the site, and restoration work is going on.
Rangiya–New Tinsukia Express, Guwahati–Jorhat Town Jan Shatabdi Express, Guwahati-Badarpur Vistadome Express, and New Tinsukia–Rangiya Express are among the cancelled trains.
“The Train No. 15769 (Alipurduar-Mariani) will be short-terminated at Digaru and will remain cancelled between Digaru-Mariani, and 15770 (Mariani -Alipurduar) will be short originated from Digaru and will remain cancelled between Mariani-Digaru for the day,” the NFR said.
Among the trains regulated are Sealdah-Sabroom Kanchanjunga Express, Dibrugarh-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, Dibrugarh-Kanyakumari Vivek Express, and New Tinsukia-SMVT Bengaluru Express, it added. (PTI)
