At least 24 people have been killed and 11 others injured, after a container truck collided with a bus in India’s northeastern state of Assam, police said.
The crash happened on Friday on a highway in Golaghat district, near Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its one-horned rhinos, about 225km (140 miles) east of the state capital, Dispur.
Several children and the bus driver were among the dead, officials said, as Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on X he was “deeply distressed by the tragic accident”.
“The scale of this loss has shaken all of us, and my heart goes out to every family that has lost a loved one. No words can ease their pain, but I want them to know that they are not alone. All of Assam stands with them in this hour of grief,” Sarma said.
He added that local authorities were at the site and “personally overseeing the relief arrangements … to make sure the injured receive the best possible medical care without delay”.
Swapnaneel Deka, superintendent of police of Golaghat district, told the Reuters news agency that “it is likely the death toll will increase”. He said the bus was travelling to a neighbouring district, with about 30 people on board.
India has one of the highest rates of road fatalities in the world, with accidents happening regularly in part due to poorly maintained roads and vehicles .
