Two loco pilots on the 12424 Rajdhani Express stop the train and use emergency braking to avoid a possible collision with a herd of wild elephants crossing the tracks in Assam at night, according to railway and media reports. The incident happens in the early hours between Titabar and Mariani stations in Jorhat district, where elephants, including a young calf, move across the line.
A video shared by Northeast Frontier Railway shows the train stationary as the herd passes in front of the headlights. Railway officials say the crew spotted the herd and applied the emergency brake in time, allowing the elephants to clear the track without injury. Officials also identify the loco pilot as S.N. Raju and the assistant loco pilot as R. K. Singh.
The episode draws public attention online and highlights ongoing concerns about human-wildlife conflict in Assam, where some railway routes run through forested areas and known elephant corridors. Indian Railways and forest authorities have previously introduced measures in sensitive zones such as speed restrictions, monitoring, and coordination to reduce train-animal collisions.
