23 killed in minibus and container truck collision near Kaziranga
The head-on collision occurred on Friday in the Rangajan area of Assam's Golaghat district.
At least 23 people died on Friday when a minibus collided head-on with a container truck near Kaziranga National Park in Assam's Golaghat district, according to The New Indian Express and The Indian Express.
The accident took place around 2:30 pm in the Rangajan area on National Highway 715. The minibus, which was travelling from Golaghat towards Nagaon, was reportedly carrying more than 35 passengers, including students from Kaziranga High School.
Golaghat district commissioner Biswajit Phukan confirmed that 23 deaths had been recorded as of 5:30 pm on Friday. The truck was travelling towards Upper Assam from Tezpur when the collision occurred.
Local MLA and Minister Atul Bora was at the site to oversee relief efforts. Over a dozen passengers were injured and taken to hospitals in Jorhat, Golaghat, and Bokakhat, with some critically injured being referred to Jorhat Medical College and Hospital.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed his distress over the tragedy on social media, stating that the scale of the loss had shaken everyone. He said the government's priority was ensuring the injured received medical care without delay.
The Golaghat district administration will conduct an enquiry to determine the cause of the accident. Additional District Commissioner Jintu Borah said that autopsies of the deceased would be carried out at Swahid Kushal Konwar Civil Hospital in Golaghat during the night.