Guwahati, Nov 14 Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday announced Rs 9 lakh ex gratia for the next of kin of each of the 26 people killed in a minibus-truck collision in Kaziranga a day ago.
The compensation includes Rs 2 lakh announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sarma said after visiting the accident site on NH-715 at Rangajan in Kaziranga.
Twenty-six people were killed in the head-on collision between a minibus and a truck near Kaziranga National Park on Friday.
Many of the victims were college students returning from their classes when the accident took place.
“An ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh will be given to the family of each deceased from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, Rs 2 lakh from the State Disaster Management Authority and Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister,” Sarma told reporters.
He said ministers would hand over the amount to the deceased’s family members at their homes after the bodies arrive at their respective residences, following post-mortem examinations.
“No amount of money can compensate such a loss, especially for families who have lost more than one member,” Sarma said.
He said what happened in Kaziranga was ”heartbreaking”.
“My thoughts and prayers are with every family who lost a loved one, and the Assam government stands with you (bereaved families) at this painful time,” he said.
Sarma said he would personally visit the home of every bereaved family in the next two to three days.
Steps have been taken to complete the post-mortem examinations on Saturday, he said.
Sarma said the government is ensuring that the injured persons get special medical care at Jorhat Medical College and Hospital and other health facilities where they are undergoing treatment.
“Additional doctors from Guwahati and other hospitals have been sent so that post-mortem examinations are completed quickly, and the injured get the best possible care,” the chief minister said.
A detailed investigation into the accident is underway, he said, adding, “We will look at every possible cause behind this tragedy”.
”I admit that some traffic restrictions were relaxed across the state at the Nalbari Cabinet meeting after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections because of political pressure. Even then, I felt we should not have allowed such relaxations,” he said.
The chief minister said that youth dislike the implementation of strict traffic rules, but it will be enforced because people’s lives come first.
He directed the police and the district administration to intensify road safety awareness and enforcement to prevent such tragedies in future.
Sarma said the prima facie reason for the accident appeared to be that the minibus driver had lost control of the steering wheel, possibly due to a cardiac arrest or a technical fault.
“I have, therefore, directed that a special post-mortem examination of the driver should be conducted, taking all aspects into consideration,” he said.
The minibus had a valid fitness certificate, but the 26-seater vehicle was carrying more than 40 passengers, he added.
Of the 26 deceased, 14 were women and 12 men. The victims included three sisters from the same family — Darpana, Jyoti and Lakhimi Majhi — Assam Police personnel Sushil Bhumij, minibus driver Abdul Majid and handyman Subhas Das.
The deceased women were identified as Baby Karmakar, Purnima Gowala, Sujata Tanti, Farhana Yasmin, Jayanti Rabidas, Ranjita Khatowar, Dipanjali Rongpharpi, Mina Mijar, Damini Ghatowal and Golapi Begum.
The male victims were identified as Ganga Gowala, Anurag Gowala, Faizul Islam, Faruk Ahmed, Mohammed Ali, Rafik Ali, Abdul Rashid Ali, Asim Phukan, Fajakir Alam and Dipak Gurung.
Education Minister Ranoj Pegu, who was deputed by the CM to visit the accident site and the hospitals where the injured have been undergoing treatment, said 18 are under treatment.
“Seven of the 18 injured are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in the Jorhat Medical College and Hospital, and their condition remains critical,” he said.
The 11 others admitted at the two hospitals are stable, the minister said, adding that the state government will bear all costs for the injured’s treatment.
Doctors from the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital and the Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh, have reached Jorhat and Golaghat to assist those treating the injured and conducted the post-mortem examinations.
The autopsies of the deceased were conducted at Swahid Kushal Konwar Civil Hospital in Golaghat; ambulances then took the bodies to their residences where families were making arrangements for the final rites, he said.
Speed restrictions are enforced along the entire stretch of the 60 km highway, with a maximum limit of 20 km/hour along the identified animal corridors, with speed-monitoring cameras installed at regular intervals along the stretch.
A forensic team from Guwahati also collected evidence from the accident site.
(PTI News)
