The toll in the elephant–train collision in Assam’s Hojai district rose to eight on Sunday after an injured calf died during treatment, forest officials said.
The accident occurred on Saturday when the Sairang–New Delhi Rajdhani Express struck a herd of elephants near Changjurai village.
Seven elephants were killed on the spot, while one calf was rescued with serious injuries.
“The calf, which was the only elephant to survive the collision initially, succumbed to its injuries this morning at the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation in Kaziranga,” said Shamim Akhtar, Forest Ranger of the Nagaon Division.
Officials said the carcasses of the seven elephants that died at the site were buried near the accident location on Saturday after post-mortem examinations and completion of legal formalities.
The impact of the collision caused the engine and five coaches of the Rajdhani Express to derail, though no passengers were injured.
Railway authorities had imposed a 12-hour caution order from 5 pm on Saturday to regulate train speed in the area, a standard safety measure when animal movement is reported.
Forest officials said other members of the herd remained in the vicinity following the incident.
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“The elephants are still moving around the area in search of food, and forest department teams are camping at the site to monitor the situation,” Akhtar said.
Two train drivers were briefly detained for questioning after the accident but were released later on Saturday.
A case has been registered, and both the forest department and railway authorities are conducting separate investigations into the incident.
Officials said instructions have been issued to carry out a detailed inquiry and strengthen protection of wildlife corridors in the region to prevent similar accidents in the future.
