Kaziranga| Assam, November 13: The death toll in the tragic road accident near Rangajan in Kohora, close to Kaziranga National Park in Assam, has risen to 26, triggering widespread condolences from national and state leaders across party lines.
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have expressed grief over the loss of lives. Several other prominent leaders, including Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, have also conveyed their condolences.
The Prime Minister’s Office announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of each deceased person. The injured will receive ₹50,000 each. The assistance has been announced for the victims of the accident.
Assam Government Assures Medical Assistance
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and said the state government was monitoring the situation. He also directed ministers and officials to oversee the response and ensure proper medical treatment for the injured.
Education Minister Ranoj Pegu visited the accident site, while Minister Atul Bora, who was travelling from Guwahati, said he had received information about the incident. Health Minister Ashok Singhal expressed condolences and assured that adequate medical care and assistance would be provided to the injured.
The Chief Minister is scheduled to visit Kohora on Saturday, according to the information shared by the state government.
Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi also expressed condolences to the bereaved families.
Opposition Leaders Demand Compensation and Road Repairs
The tragedy has prompted demands for additional compensation and improved road safety measures.
Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi demanded compensation of at least ₹25 lakh for the family of each deceased person. He also called for urgent repair work on the Jakhalabandha–Numaligarh road.
Assam Jatiya Parishad president Lurinjyoti Gogoi visited the accident site and the hospital to meet the injured. He demanded appropriate compensation for the families of those killed and injured, along with a proper investigation into the accident.
AASU president Utpal Sarma said the All Assam Students’ Union and Asom Sena would arrange blood for injured victims in need of transfusion.
What Happened at Rangajan?
The accident took place around noon on Friday when a passenger Traveller, bearing registration number AS 02 AC 6690, travelling from Golaghat towards Nagaon, collided head-on with a container truck bearing registration number KA 01 AT 0977 near Rangajan in the Kohora area.
The Traveller was reportedly carrying more than 45 passengers. Some passengers had boarded the vehicle from Kaliabor and Kuthari.
The injured were initially shifted to Shaheed Kamala Miri Civil Hospital in Bokakhat. Eight ambulances were subsequently used to transport injured passengers to Jorhat. Twelve injured persons were reported to have been admitted to Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH).
The injured admitted to JMCH were identified as Farhana Yasmin of Jakhalabandha, Hafiza Khatun of Harmati, Ranjit Sonam of Saru Abhayapuriya, Rahul Kalandhi of Amoni, Jiban Goala of Kaziranga, Anjali Garh of Amoni, Beauty Dutta of Kohora, Mustaqir Hussain of Sivasagar, Shiv Prasad of Rangamati, Santona Hojai of Brahmapur, Sabita of Methoni Tea Estate and Dipen Saikia of Sonari.
Conflicting Accounts Over the Cause of the Accident
The driver of the container truck told media persons that the truck was travelling from Tezpur towards Dibrugarh when the Traveller, coming from the opposite direction, allegedly hit it with great force. He claimed that the passenger vehicle was moving at high speed.
Some local residents have also alleged that speeding passenger vehicles are a recurring concern on the National Highway passing through the Kaziranga area.
Earlier information about the Traveller’s traffic record also indicated previous overspeeding challans, including a reported challan for travelling at 102 kmph. The vehicle was reportedly fined ₹4,000 in Jorhat on March 3.
However, these details and the statements about speed do not by themselves establish the cause of Friday’s collision. The police investigation is expected to establish the circumstances leading to the accident.
The tragedy has once again brought attention to road safety on the highway passing through the Kaziranga region, where heavy vehicles and passenger transport vehicles share a busy route.
Also Read: Kaziranga Road Accident: Death Toll Rises to 25; Traveller Had Earlier Speeding Challans
