Assam announces Rs 9 lakh ex gratia for 26 Kaziranga accident victims' families
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited the accident site and promised strict enforcement of traffic rules following the fatal collision.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Saturday that the families of 26 people killed in a road accident near Kaziranga National Park will each receive Rs 9 lakh in compensation. According to ANI, the fatal collision between a passenger vehicle and a container truck occurred on Friday in the Rongajaan area of Golaghat district.
The total ex gratia amount consists of Rs 5 lakh from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, Rs 2 lakh from the State Disaster Management Authority, and Rs 2 lakh announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as reported by The New Indian Express.
Sarma visited the site on National Highway-715 to review the emergency response. He stated that ministers will deliver the funds to the families at their homes once post-mortem examinations are finished and the bodies have been returned.
The Chief Minister described the incident as heartbreaking and said he would personally visit the homes of every bereaved family within two to three days. He noted that additional doctors from Guwahati and other locations have been deployed to assist with post-mortems and the care of the injured.
Regarding road safety, Sarma admitted that certain traffic restrictions had been relaxed during a Nalbari Cabinet meeting due to political pressure. He said the administration will now return to strict enforcement of traffic rules to prioritise lives.
A detailed investigation into the causes of the crash is currently underway. Officials noted that 24 of the 26 victims have been identified, while two remain unidentified.