23 killed as minibus and container truck collide head-on near Kaziranga in Assam's Golaghat

At least 23 people were killed and several others injured on Friday when a passenger minibus and a container truck collided head-on near Kaziranga National Park in Assam. Police have said the death toll could rise. Panic broke out at the spot after the collision, and police and rescue teams began relief work.

The accident took place in the Rangajan area, near Hatikuli Tea Estate under the Kohora range, on National Highway 715 in Golaghat district. The minibus hit a container truck coming from the opposite direction. The impact was so severe that many passengers on the bus were seriously injured.

Golaghat Deputy Commissioner Biswajit Phukan said the injured had been admitted to a nearby hospital for treatment. Golaghat Senior Superintendent of Police Swapnaneel Deka, citing preliminary information, put the death toll at 23. Rescue teams were then still pulling bodies out of the bus. It could not immediately be established how many passengers were on board.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed deep grief over the accident and said he was greatly shocked by it. Offering condolences to the families of the dead, he said all of Assam stood with them in this difficult hour. The Chief Minister said the government's top priority was that the injured receive the best treatment without delay. He prayed for their speedy recovery and for the families of the dead to find the strength to bear the loss.

Atul Bora, Assam's Panchayat and Rural Development Minister and the local MLA, reached the spot on hearing of the accident and reviewed the relief and rescue work. The injured were admitted to Kohora Model Hospital, while those seriously hurt were sent to Jorhat Medical College and Hospital for further treatment.

On the cause, Senior Superintendent of Police Deka said the minibus was travelling at high speed. Police initially suspect that the speed limit in force in the Kaziranga National Park area was violated. They said the driver may have lost control of the bus because of the speed, and the bus may have then rammed into the oncoming container truck. However, the exact cause of the accident is not yet clear, and police are investigating.