A passenger train has ploughed into and killed five elephants of a herd crossing railway tracks in eastern India.

R.N. Mohapatra, a railway spokesman, said the train struck the animals early yesterday in the Rambha forest area, about 110 miles south of Bhubaneshwar, the capital of Orissa state.

J.D. Sharma, chief conservator of the state's wildlife department, accused the railway authorities of ignoring his department's warning that trains should slow down because a herd of elephants was moving in the area.

Mr Mohapatra said the warning came too late.

Dozens of elephants have died in India in recent years after being struck while crossing railway tracks that often run through national parks and forests.

India's wild elephant population was recently estimated at about 26,000.

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