At least 12 persons died and 30 were injured in Assam’s Golaghat district on Wednesday morning after a passenger bus collided with a coal-laden truck, reported PTI.
The bus was carrying around 45 passengers, mostly hailing from Bharalukhuwa village, to the Tilinga Mandir in Assam’s Tinsukia town when the accident took place, immediately killing the drivers of both vehicles, reported the Hindustan Times.
Some of those injured are being treated at the civil hospital in Dergaon, while people with critical injuries are being treated at the Jorhat Medical College and Hospital.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund to the next of kin of those who died. Those injured will receive Rs 50,000 each.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the local administration is providing all necessary support to the injured.
P Uday Praveen, deputy commissioner of Golaghat, told the Hindustan Times that one stretch of the national highway was being repaired causing vehicles travelling in both directions to use the road on just one side of the divider. “Eyewitnesses said the truck, which was coming at a very high speed, hit the bus,” the official said.
A case of death due to rash and negligent driving has been registered in connection with the accident, said Rajen Singh, superintendent of police, Golaghat.
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