At least 12 killed in Kaziranga minibus and truck crash

A minibus carrying passengers from Bokakhat toward Nagaon collided head-on with a container truck near Kaziranga National Park in Assam on November 13, killing at least 12 people, according to police accounts. Assam minister Atul Bora later told media that 23 people had died, leaving the reported toll unsettled in accounts of the crash.

The collision occurred near Rongajan in Golaghat district. The minibus was badly damaged, and passengers were trapped inside, prompting local residents and police to begin rescue work. The injured were taken to Kohora Model Hospital, with critically injured passengers referred to Jorhat Medical College and Hospital and other facilities.

Golaghat Senior Superintendent of Police Swapnaneel Deka said early information indicated at least seven deaths, with bodies still being retrieved and the toll likely to rise. Later police accounts reported 12 deaths, including five people who succumbed to their injuries. Bora gave the higher figure of 23 deaths. The reports do not establish a verified final count or the total number of passengers aboard.

Police said they suspected the minibus had been travelling at high speed in violation of restrictions near the...