Guwahati: Two more injured passengers died in hospital in the past 12 hours, taking the death toll in the head-on collision between a minibus and a container truck near Kaziranga National Park in Golaghat district to 26.All but two of the victims have been identified. The bodies, including those of the minibus driver and handyman, have been sent to their respective homes by the govt after post-mortem examinations.The dead comprise 14 women and 12 men, including a minor, with ages ranging from six to 70 years. Three of the female victims were sisters—Darpana, Jyoti and Lakhi Majhi—who had boarded the minibus at Rangajan, about a kilometre from the accident site, while travelling to a relative’s home in Burhapahar.Another victim, Mohammad Rafiq Ali, 38, was from Bihar’s Madhubani district. Golaghat authorities said Assam Police were coordinating with their Bihar counterparts to trace his family.Seven survivors remain in critical condition at Jorhat Medical College and Hospital. While six are in the ICU and one is on a ventilator. The condition of 10 other injured passengers admitted to the hospital is stable.CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, who visited the site on Saturday, said a detailed investigation was under way. He said the minibus appeared to have lost control and rammed into the oncoming truck.“We will look at every possible cause behind this tragedy,” Sarma said, adding that doctors would conduct a special post-mortem of the minibus driver to determine whether his health had contributed to the accident.Transport minister Charan Boro said the minibus had a valid fitness certificate and was fitted with a speed-limiting device. “But, whether it was functional during the accident can be ascertained during investigation,” he said.Boro added that the vehicle had several traffic challans, including one for travelling at 102 kmph in Jorhat.The minibus was carrying 41 passengers—15 more than its seating capacity—when it collided with the container truck on the national highway, which passes through animal corridors and has speed restrictions ranging from 20 to 40 kmph.Sarma said some traffic restrictions had been relaxed across Assam after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections due to political pressure, adding, “I felt we should not have allowed such relaxations.”He said the restrictions would now be enforced and directed the police and district administration to intensify road-safety awareness and enforcement measures.
