At least 23 people died and seven got injured after a truck hit a minibus in Assam's Kaziranga on Thursday. The crash happened at Rongajan when the bus moved from Bokakhat to Nagaon. Police said the bus was at high speed. Rescue teams reached the spot to help the victims.
Guwahati:
At least 23 people have been killed and seven others injured after a truck collided with a minibus in Assam's Kaziranga on Thursday. The death count is likely to rise, with several injured passengers reported to be in critical condition.
The accident took place at Rongajan, near Kaziranga, when a truck rammed a minibus travelling from Bokakhat to Nagaon.
The impact of the collision left the minibus severely damaged, trapping several passengers inside the mangled vehicle. Police personnel and local residents rushed to the accident site and launched rescue operations to pull out those trapped in the wreckage.
"We have got a preliminary report that at least seven people were killed in the accident. We are all at the spot, and bodies are being retrieved from the bus, so the number of deaths is likely to rise," Golaghat Senior Superintendent of Police Swapnaneel Deka told news agency PTI.
The injured were taken to Kohora Model Hospital for medical treatment. Several of them are believed to be critically injured.
"The bus was running at very high speed, violating restrictions imposed near the park. We think that the accident took place when the driver of the minibus lost control, and the vehicle collided with the container truck," he added.
Rescue operations are continuing at the site.
"I am deeply distressed by the tragic accident in Kaziranga earlier today. 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," said Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.