Kaziranga horror: At least 23 dead in Assam bus-truck collision

• 23 killed and 20 injured in a head-on collision on NH-715 near Kaziranga.

• Several college students returning from classes among the deceased.

• District administration orders an inquiry into possible speeding and traffic violations.

At least 23 people were killed and 20 others injured in a head-on collision between a minibus and a container truck near Kaziranga National Park in Assam on Friday, 13 November, officials said.

Two women were among the deceased, while several college students returning from their classes were also killed in the accident, a police officer said.

The accident occurred at Rangajan, near Hathikuli tea estate in the Kohora range, on National Highway-715, when the passenger vehicle collided with the container truck, a senior police officer said.

"The death toll is rising very fast. As per the latest information, doctors have confirmed that 23 people have died in the accident. The identities of the dead are being ascertained now," an executive magistrate of Golaghat district told reporters. He added that the toll could rise further.

Nine ambulances were deployed to transport the injured, while 20 people were referred to Jorhat for advanced medical treatment, the official said. According to the police, the minibus was travelling from Golaghat towards Nagaon, while the container truck was headed towards Upper Assam.

Earlier, Golaghat senior superintendent of police Swapnaneel Deka told PTI that senior civil and police officials had rushed to the accident site to oversee rescue operations. He said the exact number of passengers travelling in the minibus was not immediately known.

Assam panchayat and rural development minister Atul Bora, who is also the local MLA, reached the site and supervised relief and rescue operations. The injured were initially taken to Kohora Model Hospital. Most of those critically injured were referred to hospitals in Bokakhat and Golaghat, as well as the Jorhat Medical College and Hospital, another senior official said.

"The bus was running at very high speed, violating restrictions imposed near the park. We think the accident took place when the minibus driver lost control and collided with the container truck," the official said.

Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed grief over the accident in a social media post, saying he was deeply distressed by the loss of lives. 'The scale of this loss has shaken all of us, and my heart goes out to every family that has lost a loved one. No words can ease their pain, but I want them to know that they are not alone. All of Assam stands with them in this hour of grief,' he said.

Sarma said the immediate priority was to ensure that the injured received the best possible medical care without delay. He added that Atul Bora was at the site overseeing relief arrangements and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

The Golaghat district administration said a detailed inquiry would be conducted to establish the circumstances of the accident and determine whether either vehicle had violated traffic regulations. Investigators will examine possible violations, including overloading and breaches of speed restrictions imposed near Kaziranga National Park.

Additional district commissioner Jintu Borah said arrangements were being made to conduct the postmortem examinations at Swahid Kushal Konwar Civil Hospital in Golaghat during the night, with special lighting.

With PTI inputs