One wild elephant was mowed down by a goods train between Azara and Mirza stations in Assam's Kamrup district on the intervening night of January 26 and January 27, 2022.

The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) informed that the loco pilot of the goods train (DN BCN E/S, Loco No. 70090) reported a side collision by an elephant with the engine while on run at about 2:55 am on January 27, 2022.

"After getting dashed, elephant fell down on the track. Track clearance was given by SSE/P-Way/Mirza at 05:20 hours with normal speed after the removal of the elephant from the track and the goods train left from the site toward Azara. Due to this incident, train No. 13247 DN (Kamakhya Rajendra Nagar Terminal express) suffered detention for 20 minutes; train No. 22501 UP (New Tinsukia KSR Bengaluru SF express) was controlled at New Bongaigaon and delayed about one hour. Some other goods trains passing through this section at that time were also got delayed," India Today reported quoting NF Railway CPRO Guneet Kaur.

The CPRO informed that the area where the incident occurred is not a forest declared elephant corridor.

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"As a preventive measure, the forest department and railways have dedicated representatives from both sides at the railway’s divisional 24 hours working control office, but no information regarding movement of elephant was available with the forest official available at control as well. After the incident, information was given by railway officials to the forest department," Guneet Kaur added.

"The NF Railway has taken a number of steps to minimise train-elephant collisions. All loco pilots and railway crews have been advised to adhere to all permanent and temporary speed limitations in notified areas," Kaur informed.

"The installation of a buzzer with a Honey Bee sound at level crossing gates in sensitive areas has proven to be a successful approach to chasing elephants away. Staff in the pantry car, as well as train passengers, are being warned not to discard any food or leftovers on or near the railway track in order to avoid luring elephants or other animals to the track," the NFR CPRO added.