23 killed in Assam bus, truck collision

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.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed grief over the tragedy, saying the scale of the loss had shaken the state.

“The scale of this loss has shaken all of us, and my heart goes out to every family that has lost a loved one,” Sarma said in a post on X.

“No words can ease their pain, but they should know that they are not alone. All of Assam stands with them in this hour of grief,” he added.

Sarma said the government’s immediate priority was to ensure the best possible medical treatment for those injured.

State Cabinet Minister Atul Bora, who is also the local legislator, reached the accident site and monitored rescue and relief operations.

Bora said he encountered the aftermath of the crash while returning from Guwahati and joined local residents in helping transport the injured to hospitals.

Police are investigating the precise circumstances of the collision, including the suspected speeding and violation of restrictions along the highway.

According to India’s roads ministry, more than 183,000 people died in road accidents in 2025, averaging over 500 deaths a day.

Official data have linked many road accidents to inadequate infrastructure, poorly maintained vehicles and driver fatigue.