Around 30 goats were massacred when an express train ploughed into a herd on a railway track.
Three women narrowly escaped the speeding train after a gateman desperately shouted at them to get off the tracks.
The Lucknow-Prayagraj Intercity Express struck the animals near a railway crossing in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, India, on Wednesday morning (16 September).
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Around 30 goats were killed in the collision, according to local reports.
The women had reportedly been tending the goats when heavy rain began to fall.
As the downpour eased, they started leading the animals home.
But the train suddenly came hurtling towards them along the railway line.
A quick-thinking gateman spotted the danger and helped get the three women clear of the tracks.
The goats were not so lucky.
They were hit by the speeding train and killed in the collision, as reported by Need To Know.
Horrifying footage of the incident has since circulated online.
Villagers rushed to the scene after the crash, where two of the livestock owners, Ashok Saroj and Hori, were left devastated.
The men rely on their goats for their livelihoods and are now facing a major financial blow.
Railway Protection Force (RPF) officers were called to the scene and investigated the incident.
Workers then cleared the dead animals from the tracks.
The train was held up for around 10 minutes before continuing its journey.
Local reports have given differing figures for the number of goats killed, ranging from around 25 to 35.
Some reports said the livestock owners have called for compensation following the loss.
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