At least 24 people were killed and 7 others injured in a head-on collision between a minibus and a container truck near Kaziranga National Park in Assam on Friday, officials said.
Among the deceased were two women, while several victims were college students returning from their classes, a police officer said.
The accident occurred at Rangajan near Hathikuli Tea Estate in the Kohora range on National Highway-715 when the passenger vehicle collided with the truck, a senior police officer said.
"The death toll is rising very fast. As per the latest information, doctors have confirmed that 23 people have died in the accident. The identities of the dead are being ascertained now," an Executive Magistrate of Golaghat district told reporters.
The official warned that the death toll could rise further as several injured passengers remained under treatment.
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"Already nine ambulances have been operating to ferry the injured people. Doctors here have referred 20 people to Jorhat for advanced treatment," the official said.
According to police, the minibus was travelling from Golaghat towards Nagaon, while the container truck was heading towards Upper Assam.
Golaghat Senior Superintendent of Police Swapnaneel Deka said senior civil and police officials had rushed to the accident site to coordinate rescue operations and assist the victims.
He said the exact number of passengers travelling in the minibus was not immediately known.
Assam Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Atul Bora, who is also the local MLA, reached the site and personally supervised relief and rescue operations.
The injured were initially taken to Kohora Model Hospital, while most critically injured passengers were referred to civil hospitals in Bokakhat and Golaghat and Jorhat Medical College and Hospital.
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A senior official said preliminary findings suggested that the minibus was travelling at excessive speed in violation of restrictions imposed near Kaziranga National Park.
"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," the official said.
However, the exact circumstances leading to the collision are yet to be established.
The Golaghat district administration said a thorough inquiry would be instituted to determine the cause of the accident and examine whether either vehicle had violated traffic regulations, including speed restrictions and passenger capacity norms.
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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and assured the affected families of the government's support.
"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," Sarma said in a social media post.
He said the government's immediate priority was to ensure that the injured received the best possible medical treatment without delay.
"Hon'ble Minister Shri @ATULBORA2 is at the site and personally overseeing the relief arrangements. I pray for the swift recovery of the injured and for strength for the bereaved families," he added.
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Additional District Commissioner Jintu Borah said postmortem examinations of the deceased would be conducted at Swahid Kushal Konwar Civil Hospital in Golaghat during the night.
Special lighting arrangements were being made to facilitate the examinations, he said.
Authorities were also working to establish the identities of the deceased and inform their families as rescue and medical operations continued.