The death toll from the serious road accident recorded on Friday in Kaziranga, in the Indian state of Assam, has risen to 26 dead, while several more people have been injured following the head-on collision between a truck and a minibus, according to the latest official update.
"The tragic road accident in Rongayan, in Kaziranga, which cost 26 valuable lives has left us deeply affected. Several individuals from the district of Bokajat have also died in this unfortunate incident," explained Atul Bora, the state minister of Local Administration and Rural Development, on social media.
The head of the regional government of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, traveled to the scene of the accident this Saturday and reported that assistance of 900,000 rupees --about 8,650 euros-- will be granted to each of the families of the people who died.
"No amount of money can compensate for a loss, especially for families that have lost more than one member, but we are going to make sure that no family faces this alone," the official said to the press.
Sarma also indicated that in the coming days he will visit in person the homes of the relatives of the deceased and will mobilize additional doctors from Guwahati and other healthcare centers to reinforce autopsies and care for the injured. "There is a thorough investigation underway and we will study all possible causes of this tragedy," he explained.
According to initial information, the accident occurred when a truck ran over a minibus that was traveling between Bokajat and Nagaon with 40 passengers on board. The force of the impact caused severe damage to the transport vehicle, leaving numerous occupants trapped inside.
Preliminary evidence suggests that the bus was traveling at a high speed and that it would not have respected the traffic limits in force near the Kaziranga National Park.