Kolkata-Sairang Express Engine And 5 Coaches Derail Near Digaru In Assam, 4 Injured

Five passenger coaches and the locomotive of the Kolkata-Sairang Express jumped the rails near Digaru station outside Guwahati early Wednesday morning, dragging off-track carriages for nearly a kilometre before grinding to a halt.

Four passengers suffered minor injuries in the pre-dawn derailment. The crash occurred around 5:00 am on November 11, 2026, just minutes after the long-distance express cleared the platform at Digaru. Doors jammed shut across affected compartments as coaches tilted violently, tossing sleeping commuters from their berths.

Ten Minutes of Panic on Derailed Tracks

Coach interiors descended into chaos the moment the wheels tore free from the steel line. The train had maintained normal operating speed after departing its scheduled halt at Guwahati. It slowed down slightly upon approaching Digaru, but a metallic groan echoed along the undercarriage seconds after crossing the station platform.

Then came the jolt. The train kept moving. For roughly 10 agonizing minutes, the uncoupled weight of the train dragged the derailed locomotive and bogies across ballast and ties for nearly one full kilometre.

Both the locomotive and the train's power car were knocked entirely out of service by the impact. Terrified passengers hammered on locked emergency exit latches until the consist finally slowed to a dead stop in the morning mist.

Speed Control Failure During Train Precedence

Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) officials traced the immediate operational breakdown to speed regulation during track signaling. An NFR spokesperson confirmed that the derailment unfolded as the station handled incoming traffic to let another train pass ahead.

The loco pilot gave precedence to the passing rake but could not bring the train down to regulated yard velocity in time. That failure sent the locomotive and five trailing coaches skidding off the alignment. While railway authorities initially reported zero casualties from the field, medical teams later confirmed localized trauma among passengers tossed during the impact.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed the casualties, stating that state emergency personnel coordinated immediately with the Ministry of Railways. The state administration provided basic necessities, food, and water to hundreds of stranded passengers waiting along the embankment.

NFR mobilized a specialized railway relief and recovery train to clear the damaged carriages and repair crushed track ties. Railway authorities transferred all stranded passengers onto a replacement train to resume their journey toward Sairang, while technical safety inspectors opened an inquiry into braking parameters and driver control data at the site.