By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
At least 26 people, including several college students, were killed and 18 others injured when a passenger mini-bus collided head-on with a container truck near Kaziranga National Park in Assam on Friday.
The accident took place at Rangajan, near Hathikuli Tea Estate in the Kohora range of Golaghat district, on National Highway 715. The mini-bus, reportedly carrying around 40 passengers, was travelling from Jorhat towards Guwahati when it crashed into the truck coming from the opposite direction.
The impact was so severe that the passenger vehicle was completely mangled, leaving several occupants dead at the scene. Among those killed were the bus driver, two women and several college students who were reportedly returning home after attending classes.
Rescue teams, police and senior administrative officials rushed to the spot following the accident. The injured were initially taken to Kohora Model Hospital, while those requiring specialised treatment were referred to other hospitals, including Jorhat Medical College and Hospital.
Assam minister Atul Bora, who reached the accident site, said the impact of the collision suggested that the mini-bus might have been speeding. However, he said the exact circumstances leading to the tragedy would emerge only after an investigation.
Officials said the probe would examine whether either vehicle had violated traffic regulations, whether the mini-bus was carrying passengers beyond its permitted capacity and whether speed restrictions imposed in the Kaziranga area had been violated.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed deep grief over the loss of lives and said the government’s immediate priority was to ensure the best possible medical treatment for the injured. He also extended condolences to the bereaved families.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed anguish over the tragedy and announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for every injured person.
The accident is among the major road tragedies reported in Assam in recent years and has once again raised concerns over road safety and compliance with speed restrictions on highways passing through ecologically sensitive areas.