At least 23 killed in Assam bus-truck collision near Kaziranga
A head-on collision between a minibus and a container truck near Kaziranga National Park left several people dead and many injured.
At least 23 people were killed and 20 others were injured after a minibus collided head-on with a container truck near Kaziranga National Park in Assam on Friday, according to The Federal.
The accident occurred at Rangajan on National Highway 715 in the Kohora range. The minibus was travelling from Jorhat to Nagaon, while the container truck was heading towards Upper Assam.
A senior police officer said the bus was running at a very high speed, violating restrictions near the park. It is suspected the driver lost control before the collision. Among the deceased were two women and several college students who were returning from their classes.
Golaghat Senior Superintendent of Police Swapnaneel Deka said that more than 35 passengers were in the bus. Local MLA and Assam Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Atul Bora reached the site to supervise relief and rescue operations.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said he was "deeply distressed" by the accident and stated that the priority was ensuring the injured receive medical care. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Rs 2 lakh for the family of each deceased person and Rs 50,000 for each injured person from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund.
The injured were taken to Kohora Model Hospital, with many critically injured patients referred to hospitals in Bokakhat, Golaghat, and Jorhat Medical College and Hospital.