Truck-bus head on collision kills 12 in Assam's Golaghat

Guwahati: In a tragic road accident at least 12 people were killed and 30 others injured in a head-on collision between a passenger bus and a coal loaded truck on the national highway at Dergaon in Assam's Golaghat on Wednesday morning.

Golaghat superintendent of police Rajen Singh told reporters that about 49 people were travelling in the bus to Tinsukia's Tilinga temple for a picnic from Kamarbandha Bosagaon.

Informing that the incident took place at around 4.30am he said, "Dense fog may be the reason. But we are looking into it to find out the exact cause of the accident.”

He said that 10 people were killed on the spot and two died in Jorhat Medical College and Hospital whereas the other 30 are undergoing treatment. Among those killed included two children and two women. Conditions of some of the injured are said to be critical.

Assam transport minister Parimal Suklabaidya said that preliminary investigation suggested that the bus was at high speed. The truck was dragged away from the highway by the speeding bus, he said. A diversion was created for expansion of the highway where the mishap took place. "Those found guilty for the accident will be punished," he said.

Meanwhile, the district commissioner of Golaghat P Uday Praveen said that the NHIDCL authority and the transport department have been called to examine the spot of the accident to find out the cause. He said that the immediate rectification measures will be taken up on their findings.

He said that a team of road experts from Delhi recently surveyed the blackspots and administration was working on their findings.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma condoled the deaths of 12 people in a road accident.

In a social media post, the Prime Minister's Office said: "Pained by the loss of lives due to a road mishap in Golaghat, Assam. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover at the earliest. The local administration is providing all possible assistance to those affected. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000."

The Assam chief minister's office said that Mr Sarma "expressed his deep anguish at the horrific bus accident in Dergaon and offered his condolences to the bereaved families".