Kaziranga/Guwahati, November 13: At least 24 people, including schoolchildren and the vehicle crew, were killed and 11 others critically injured on Friday in a devastating head-on collision between a passenger Force Traveller and a container truck near Kaziranga National Park in Assam’s Golaghat district on Friday noon.
The accident occurred at Rongajan, near Hathikuli Tea Estate in the Kohora range along National Highway 715.
According to officials, the Nagaon-bound Force Traveller (bearing registration number AS 02AC 6690), travelling from Bokakhat, collided head-on with a Tezpur to Dibrugarh bound container truck (KA 01AT 0977).
Overcrowding and Overspeeding Suspected:
Preliminary police investigations and eyewitness accounts indicate that the collision occurred at high speed, leaving the Traveller severely mangled with several passengers trapped inside and others thrown out by the sheer force of the impact. Police noted that the passenger vehicle was dangerously overcrowded—carrying around 41 passengers, including students from Kaziranga High School, against its official capacity of 26—and had allegedly violated strict speed restrictions enforced near the national park corridor before the driver lost control. The driver Abdul Mujib and staff of the Traveller were among those who lost their lives.
Among the deceased identified so far are two sisters, Jyoti Majhi (19) and Darpana Majhi (15), and 12-year-old Anurag Gowala.
Rescue Operations and District Administration Response
Immediately following the crash, police personnel and local residents launched intense rescue operations. Golaghat Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Swapnaneel Deka monitored the rescue efforts on the ground and confirmed the fatalities. Golaghat Deputy Commissioner (DC) Biswajit Phukan stated that the victims were initially rushed to Kohora Model Hospital, while the 11 seriously injured passengers—including several children—were referred to Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH) for advanced treatment. Post-mortem examinations of the deceased are scheduled to be conducted during the daytime on Saturday.
Passengers that killed identified so far |
Prime Minister Announces Financial Aid
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep grief over the tragic loss of lives in the Kaziranga road mishap. Extending his condolences to the bereaved families, the Prime Minister announced an ex-gratia relief from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) of ₹2 lakh each for the next of kin of those deceased, and ₹50,000 for each of the injured.
Chief Minister and State Ministers Oversee Relief
Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is currently on a two-day official tour of Biswanath district, expressed profound sorrow over the tragedy. Terming the loss of lives deeply distressing, Dr. Sarma stated that ensuring immediate and top-quality medical care for the injured is the state government's foremost priority.
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Coordinating closely with the Golaghat district administration, the Chief Minister deputed senior cabinet ministers to the ground:
Atul Bora, Minister for Panchayat & Rural Development and local Bokakhat MLA, rushed to the accident site to personally oversee rescue and relief arrangements, later visiting the hospitals to check on the injured. Terming it one of the worst accidents in the region, Bora confirmed an official probe will be conducted into the overspeeding and safety violations.
Dr. Ranoj Pegu (Education Minister) and Keshab Mahanta were also directed to join the relief, medical coordination, and rehabilitation efforts.
Chief Minister Dr. Sarma has announced that he will personally visit Golaghat to and the accident site tomorrow to take stock of the situation, meet with local residents, and review road safety measures along the highway.
