Death toll rises to 26 in Assam Kaziranga road accident
Twenty-four victims have been identified following a head-on collision between a minibus and a container truck near Kaziranga National Park.
The death toll from a road accident near Kaziranga National Park in Assam has increased to 26, according to ANI. The fatal collision between a passenger vehicle and a container truck took place on Friday in the Rongajaan area of Golaghat district.
Additional District Commissioner of Golaghat Jintu Bora said Jorhat Medical College provided an update raising the fatalities to 26. Of the deceased, 24 have been identified while two remain unidentified. Nineteen people were initially injured, with two of them later dying at Jorhat Medical College and Hospital.
The accident occurred on National Highway 715 when the minibus, travelling from Jorhat to Nagaon, collided with a truck heading towards Upper Assam. Police suspect the minibus was travelling at high speed when the driver lost control.
Among the identified victims are nine people from Nagaon district, one from Karbi Anglong, and one from Bihar. The victim from Bihar has been identified as 38-year-old Mohammad Rafiq Ali from Madhubani district.
Three teams involving 11 doctors from Guwahati Medical College and Jorhat Medical College are conducting post-mortems. The district administration has arranged vehicles to transport the bodies to their respective hometowns.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed grief on X, stating that the scale of the loss has shaken everyone and that all of Assam stands with the bereaved families.