In eastern India's Odisha state, the dwindling elephant population is constantly under threat from a country undergoing rapid industrialisation.

One threat is from the country's railways.

Video from April seen here shows four elephants - including a baby -that were tragically killed in an instant by a speeding train in Jharsuguda.

It's a sad sign of the wider conflict between the state's need for infrastructure and the elephant population in the area.

This particular tragedy happened in the state's Jharsugada district at around 3:30am.

This video filmed about five hours later shows the slain elephants lying on the train tracks, and later removed, as onlookers crowded around the scene.

According to animal NGO Elephant Family, Odisha is one of the largest areas of habitat for elephants in India.

In the past decade, rapid industrialisation has created a demand for new infrastructure, including open wells, mines and railways - all posing an active threat to the elephant population.

According to one report, train collisions in India have killed 266 elephants from 1987 to July 2017, citing the Wildlife Trust of India.

Four elephants died after they were hit by a goods train on Monday near Telidihi Village in Odisha's Jharsuguda. The incident took place on Monday morning after a herd of elephants was hit by a goods train while crossing the rail line. Two female elephants along with a tusker and a baby elephant were crossing the railway line at around 4 am when a speeding train slammed them, killing all the four elephants on the spot. On getting information, forest officials rushed to the spot and removed the carcasses from the track. Three JCB machines were engaged in the operation.