PM saddened by the incident in Kaziranga, Assam; announces Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia; Himanta also expresses grief…

PM saddened by the incident in Kaziranga, Assam; announces Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia; Himanta also expresses grief…

A horrific road accident occurred in Kaziranga, Assam, on Friday, involving a head-on collision between a truck and a passenger vehicle (a ‘Traveller’ van). Between 23 and 24 people have lost their lives in the accident. The impact was so severe that the passenger vehicle was completely mangled. The injured have been rushed to the hospital, with many reported to be in critical condition. The incident took place near Kaziranga National Park in the Golaghat district. According to the police, the collision between the passenger vehicle and a container truck occurred on National Highway-715, near the Hathikuli Tea Estate in the Rangajan area. The passenger vehicle was traveling from Bokakhat towards Nagaon when it collided with the oncoming container truck. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has expressed his grief over the tragedy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also expressed his condolences. A post from the Prime Minister’s Office on social media stated: “I am deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the accident in Assam’s Golaghat district. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. I wish for the speedy recovery of those injured. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund will be provided to the next of kin of each person who lost their life, and Rs 50,000 will be provided as financial assistance to those injured.” — Narendra Modi, Prime Minister.