Assam minibus-truck collision death toll rises to 26
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma suspects the driver may have suffered a heart attack or stroke before the crash near Kaziranga National Park.
The death toll from a head-on collision between a minibus and a container truck near Kaziranga National Park rose to 26 on Saturday, according to reports by Deccan Herald, The Hindu and The New Indian Express. The accident occurred on Friday at Rangajan on NH-715 in Golaghat district when the minibus was travelling from Golaghat to Nagaon.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who visited the accident site on Saturday, said the 64-year-old driver may have suffered a cardiac arrest or stroke. Sarma noted that the driver, who was diabetic, died on the spot. He said Education Minister Ranoj Pegu, a doctor, suggested the driver might have lost control following a medical emergency after viewing viral dashcam footage.
The minibus was carrying more than 41 passengers despite having a capacity for 25. While 24 people died on Friday, two injured passengers succumbed to their injuries on Saturday, according to Senior Superintendent of Police Golaghat Swapnaneel Deka. Seventeen injured passengers are currently undergoing treatment at Jorhat Medical College and Hospital, with some in critical condition.
The government has announced an ex gratia of Rs 9 lakh for the families of the deceased. This amount includes 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.
A detailed investigation is underway to determine if the vehicle was overspeeding or violated safety measures. Sarma has directed specialised doctors to conduct the post-mortem on the driver to ascertain the exact cause of the mishap.