Guwahati, November 13: The death toll in the tragic road accident near Kaziranga National Park in Assam has risen to 25, according to information received from the superintendent of Shaheed Kushal Konwar Civil Hospital in Golaghat.(Kaziranga Road Accident)
A passenger Traveller carrying more than 35 people collided head-on with a container truck at Rangajan in the Kohora area of Kaziranga on Friday. The vehicle was travelling from Golaghat towards Nagaon.
In a significant development, it has emerged that the ill-fated Traveller, bearing registration number AS 02 AC 6690, had previously received multiple traffic challans for overspeeding.
According to available information, the vehicle’s driver had earlier been fined for driving at a speed of 102 kmph. The vehicle had also attracted a fine of Rs 4,000 in Jorhat on March 3.
The Traveller was registered in the name of Anjir Ali of Itachali in Nagaon. However, its speed at the time of the accident was reported to be around 60 kmph. The exact cause of the accident is yet to be established.
Eight ambulances deployed to shift injured passengers
Following the accident, the injured passengers were initially admitted to Shaheed Kamala Miri Civil Hospital in Bokakhat. Later, eight ambulances were arranged to shift the injured to Jorhat. Among them, 15 injured passengers were referred to Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH).
Golaghat Additional Commissioner Jintu Bora had earlier mentioned that 23 people had died in the accident. The death toll subsequently rose to 25, according to the hospital superintendent.
Post-mortem examinations of the deceased were expected to be conducted at Golaghat during the night, Additional Commissioner Jintu Bora said.
Driver and helper among those killed
The Traveller’s driver, Abdul Majid, and helper, Subhash, were also killed in the accident.
Among those identified as deceased are AGP leader Rashid Ali, Hafiz Khatun and Farhana Yasmin. Jyoti Majhi of Kohora Amguri, Darpana Majhi and Anurag Goala of Rangajan have also been identified.
The hospital authorities confirmed the death of Dipanjali Rongphar P, a student of Chandranath Bezbaruah College.
AASU and Assam Sena to arrange blood for injured
The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and Assam Sena have announced that they will arrange blood for the injured passengers.
AASU president Utpal Sarma made the announcement through social media and also released contact numbers for those seeking assistance.
CM directs Minister Ranoj Pegu to visit accident site
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has directed Minister Ranoj Pegu to immediately visit the accident site. The Chief Minister is also scheduled to visit the spot on Saturday.
Expressing grief over the tragedy, Sarma said in a post on X that he was deeply saddened by the Kaziranga accident and conveyed his condolences to the families of the deceased.
Also Read: Kaziranga Road Accident: At Least 25 Feared Dead as Speeding Traveller Collides with Trailer Truck
