Kaziranga highway horror: 24 killed as packed minibus crashes into truck in Assam
This digitally enhanced screenshot of a widely shared video on social media shows the wreckage of the truck and the minibus after the collision in Kaziranga.
New Delhi: At least 24 people, including students and children, were killed when a crowded minibus collided head-on with a container truck near Assam’s Kaziranga National Park on Friday afternoon, in one of the state’s deadliest road accidents in recent years. The collision on National Highway 715 in Golaghat district left at least 11 others injured, with several requiring advanced medical treatment as authorities began investigating allegations that the passenger vehicle was speeding.
The accident occurred at Rangajan, near the Hathikuli Tea Estate in the Kohora range of Kaziranga, when the minibus reportedly lost control and struck the oncoming truck. The impact severely crushed the passenger vehicle, trapping several occupants inside and forcing rescuers to work through the wreckage to recover victims and evacuate survivors.
According to the latest Associated Press report, the death toll had reached 24, with 11 people injured, including the truck driver. Earlier, Reuters quoted Golaghat police as confirming 23 fatalities and warning that the number could rise because of the condition of some injured passengers.
The superintendent of police of Golaghat district, Swapnaneel Deka, said around 30 people were travelling in the minibus, although some local accounts placed the number closer to 40. Initial reports indicated that several college students were among the passengers, but the complete identities of the victims and the precise number of people aboard had yet to be officially established.
Speeding suspected as investigators examine crash
Preliminary accounts suggest the minibus was travelling at excessive speed before its driver apparently lost control on the highway, causing the vehicle to collide with the container truck. The Assam cabinet minister, Atul Bora, who visited the accident site, said the circumstances suggested speeding, although he emphasized that the exact cause would be established through an investigation.
The Times of India reported that the vehicle may also have violated traffic restrictions imposed along the highway near the national park. However, investigators have not yet established whether speeding alone caused the collision or whether other circumstances, including road conditions or driver error, contributed to the disaster.
Injured shifted to hospitals as rescue teams respond
Police, emergency personnel and local residents rushed to the accident site, where the badly damaged minibus complicated efforts to extract trapped passengers. The injured were initially transported to Kohora Model Hospital, while patients requiring specialist treatment were referred to Jorhat Medical College and Hospital.
The chief minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, expressed grief over the deaths and directed the authorities to prioritize medical treatment for the survivors. He said Bora was personally supervising relief arrangements at the accident site and assured the affected families of the state government’s support.
The tragedy also drew condolences from political leaders, including the Congress leader, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and the chief minister of Delhi, Rekha Gupta. Both expressed sympathy for the bereaved families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
Kaziranga highway safety under scrutiny
The accident has renewed concerns over traffic enforcement along National Highway 715, which passes through the environmentally sensitive Kaziranga landscape and serves as an important road connection between central and upper Assam. Sections of the highway are subject to special traffic restrictions because of wildlife movement, making compliance with speed limits particularly important for both motorists and animals.
The broader issue of highway safety remains a serious challenge across India, despite improvements in road infrastructure and enforcement technology. According to government figures presented to Parliament in April 2026, India recorded 487,707 road accidents in 2024, resulting in 177,175 deaths – an increase from 172,890 fatalities in 2023.
For now, attention in Assam remains focused on identifying the dead, treating the injured and determining how the collision occurred. The investigation is expected to establish whether traffic violations, vehicle condition or other factors contributed to the tragedy, as families await official confirmation about their loved ones.
