At least 23 killed in bus-truck collision near Kaziranga in Assam
Twenty people were injured after a minibus and a container truck collided head-on on National Highway 715 in Golaghat district.
At least 23 people were killed and 20 others were injured when a minibus collided head-on with a container truck near Kaziranga National Park in Assam on Friday, according to reports by Deccan Herald, Scroll and Pragativadi.
The accident occurred at approximately 2:30 pm on National Highway 715 at Rangajan in the Kohora range. The minibus was travelling from Jorhat toward Nagaon, while the container truck was headed towards Upper Assam.
Golaghat Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Swapaneel Deka confirmed the fatalities and noted that the death toll could rise. The minibus was reportedly carrying students from Kaziranga High School returning from classes.
An official quoted by PTI alleged the minibus was speeding in violation of restrictions imposed near the national park. Preliminary police assessments indicate overspeeding may have caused the driver to lose control.
Injured passengers were taken to Kohora Model Hospital, with 20 people referred to Jorhat for advanced treatment. An Executive Magistrate of Golaghat district said the identities of the deceased are being ascertained.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed distress over the accident and stated the government's priority is ensuring the injured receive medical care. A district administration official said an investigation will determine if traffic norms were violated.