At least 23 people, including three children, were killed when a passenger minibus collided head-on with a container truck near Kaziranga National Park in India’s northeastern state of Assam on Friday, police said.
The vehicle involved in the crash had a history of traffic violations, with 12 fines totalling Rs 38,500 already paid and another Rs 4,000 penalty outstanding, officials said.
The accident occurred in the Rongajaan area of Golaghat district, on a highway bordering the national park, where strict speed restrictions are enforced to protect wildlife moving through designated animal corridors.
Golaghat Senior Superintendent of Police Swapnanil Deka said preliminary investigations suggested that the minibus was travelling at excessive speed and violating traffic restrictions when the driver apparently lost control.
“The bus was running at very high speed and was violating restrictions imposed near the park. We believe the driver lost control before the vehicle collided with the container truck,” Deka said.
Police said the exact number of passengers travelling in the vehicle had yet to be established. Several people were injured and taken to nearby hospitals, while authorities were working to establish the identities of all the victims.
Rescue operations
Emergency teams and local residents rushed to the accident site to help rescue passengers and transport the injured to hospitals.
