The elephant herd gathered on the tracks after the incident and refused to move, stopping train operations for more than four hours. The tracks were finally cleared at about 12:00 am, and train movement on the up line resumed at 12:20 am. One train was halted at Rai station while another remained stuck at Tori station for over four hours. The herd, angered by the incident, stayed near the railway line throughout the night before retreating into the forest in the morning. According to Forest Ranger Nandkumar Mahato, a baby elephant died after being hit by a freight train.

Source: Indian Express February 17, 2026 07:03 UTC