24 Killed in Tragic Minibus-Truck Collision in Assam's Golaghat

A wave of grief has swept across Assam following a catastrophic road accident that claimed 24 lives on Friday. The horrific Golaghat minibus truck accident occurred around 1:00 p.m. at Rangajan, located along National Highway-715 near the Kaziranga National Park. The collision, involving a passenger minibus and a heavy container truck, has been described by officials as one of the most severe road tragedies in the state's recent history.

The minibus was reportedly traveling from Golaghat toward Nagaon when it collided with a container truck heading in the direction of Upper Assam. The impact was so severe that it left 11 other passengers injured. Among the deceased are several college students, young children, and the driver of the minibus. Emergency services worked quickly to move the survivors to various medical facilities, including Jorhat Medical College and Hospital, Bokakhat Civil Hospital, and the Civil Hospital in Golaghat, where they are currently receiving treatment.

Relief Operations and Compensation

As the scale of the tragedy became clear, local MLA Atul Bora arrived at the scene to oversee rescue operations. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed his deep distress over the loss of life, emphasizing that the state government is prioritizing medical care for the injured and support for the grieving families. In a gesture of national solidarity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each deceased victim, along with ₹50,000 for each of the survivors who were injured.

While the official investigation is still in its early stages, preliminary findings have already surfaced. Authorities are examining dashcam footage recovered from the container truck, which suggests the minibus may have been traveling at an excessive speed. This has led to suspicions of reckless driving as a primary cause of the crash. Investigators are continuing to analyze all available evidence to determine exactly how such a fatal collision occurred.