At least 20 cows were killed after they were hit by Kalka-Shatabdi Express near Narela in northwest Delhi on Wednesday, reported PTI. Two cows are said to be injured, and were taken to a hospital.

The accident took place around 5.44 pm when a herd of cows was crossing the tracks between Holambi Kalan and Narela and the speeding train hit 20 of them. The accident delayed movement of trains in the region, the Northern Railway said.

A Northern Railway spokesperson said that the driver had applied emergency brakes, but “the cows got run over as the train was running at full speed”. “The railway personnel present there cleared the tracks,” the spokesperson told PTI. “It was horrific. In fact, the impact was such that there was minor damage to the tracks as well. The train departed the accident site at around 7 pm.”

Northern Railways Chief Public Relations Officer Nitin Chaudhary told the Hindustan Times that the accident could have been averted “if the handler used the gate instead of leaving the cattle on the track”.