A tragic highway accident in Assam’s Golaghat district on Wednesday resulted in the loss of at least 12 lives and left over 37 individuals injured. The incident occurred near the Balijan area at Dergaon on National Highway 37, connecting Guwahati city with Upper Assam around 5 am.
According to authorities, the collision involved a passenger bus, en route to the Tilinga temple in Tinsukia district with 49 passengers, mostly from Bharalukhuwa village in Golaghat, and a coal-laden truck from Margherita in Upper Assam heading towards Guwahati at high speed. The head-on collision claimed 12 lives on the spot.
Local residents swiftly initiated rescue operations, assisting in transporting the injured to Jorhat Medical College and Hospital. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed condolences, ensuring that the local administration provides support to the affected families.
Transport Minister Parimal Shuklabaidya conveyed shock and grief, revealing that a team of officials and experts had rushed to the scene to provide necessary assistance. President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed condolences, with the Prime Minister announcing an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the next of kin of each deceased and Rs. 50,000 for the injured.
Golaghat Deputy Commissioner P Uday Praveen reported ongoing repairs on one side of the national highway, forcing vehicles from both directions to use a single lane. Eyewitnesses suggested that the speeding truck collided with the bus, exacerbated by foggy morning weather. Local police are investigating the accident’s causes.
