Bus and truck collision in India’s Assam state kills at least 24 people

GUWAHATI, India: A bus collided with a container truck in the northeastern Indian state of Assam on Friday, killing at least 24 people and 11 injuring others, authorities said.

The crash occurred on a highway near Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its one-horned rhinos, about 225 kilometers (140 miles) east of the state capital, Dispur. Children and the bus driver were among the dead, officials said.

State minister Atul Bora described the crash as one of the worst in Assam’s history and said police were investigating the cause of the collision. Bora said witnesses reported that the bus was speeding before the crash.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on X that he was “deeply distressed by the tragic accident.”

India has one of the highest rates of road fatalities in the world, with reckless driving, poorly maintained roads and aging vehicles as major factors.