A Kaziranga bus accident involving a mini-bus and a trailer truck has reportedly killed 23 people and injured several others on National Highway 715 in Assam, according to a report by Times of India, although the source URL refers to a toll of seven deaths and the final number requires official clarification.
The collision took place on Friday afternoon at Rangajan, near Hathikuli Tea Estate in the Kohora range of Kaziranga. The mini-bus was carrying around 40 passengers and was travelling from Jorhat in upper Assam towards Guwahati when it collided head-on with the trailer truck.
The report quoted an Executive Magistrate of Golaghat district as saying that doctors had confirmed 23 deaths at the time of the latest update. It said the identities of those who died were still being established. The mini-bus was completely damaged in the impact.
The injured passengers were taken to Kohora Model Hospital, located near the crash site. Thirteen of the injured were subsequently referred to Jorhat Medical College and Hospital, according to the report. The supplied account does not provide a confirmed breakdown of the total number of injured passengers or their current medical condition.
Assam cabinet minister Atul Bora reached the accident site shortly after the collision and said the damage to the mini-bus appeared to indicate speeding. He also said that the circumstances leading to the crash would be determined through an investigation. That statement does not establish speeding as the confirmed cause of the collision.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the state’s immediate priority was to ensure medical treatment for the injured. He said Atul Bora was at the site overseeing relief arrangements and expressed condolences to the families of those who died.
The incident has again placed attention on the risks facing passengers on national highways that carry mixed traffic, including heavy trucks and intercity passenger vehicles. However, the supplied report does not establish whether road design, visibility, vehicle condition, driver behaviour, traffic management or any other factor contributed to the crash. Those findings will depend on the official investigation.
The report also said Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta expressed condolences to the bereaved families and wished the injured a speedy recovery. The death toll, however, remains subject to clarification because the source’s URL and article text carry different figures. Official confirmation from the Assam government, district administration or police is required before the toll can be treated as settled.
