Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced Rs 9 lakh ex gratia for the families of the deceased.
At least 26 people, including women and minors, died and 20 others were injured after a minibus and a container truck collided on Friday near Kaziranga National Park in Assam. The head-on collision occurred at Rangajan on National Highway-715 in the Kohora range, according to The Tribune.
Many of the victims were college students returning from classes. The minibus was travelling from Golaghat to Nagaon, while the container truck was heading towards Upper Assam.
The injured were taken to Kohora Model Hospital, with many critically injured patients referred to Bokakhat Civil Hospital, Golaghat, and Jorhat Medical College and Hospital. An official stated the minibus was travelling at high speed and violated restrictions near the park.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Saturday that the next of kin of the 26 deceased will receive Rs 9 lakh in ex gratia. This 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, as reported by The New Indian Express.
Sarma admitted that certain traffic restrictions had been relaxed following political pressure during a Cabinet meeting in Nalbari. He stated that a detailed investigation is underway and directed officials to intensify road safety enforcement.
