At Least 26 Killed as Minibus Collides Head-On With Truck Near Kaziranga in Assam

admin · November 14, 2026 · 6 min read

Kaziranga National Park in Assam, India, near where a minibus collided with a container truck on National Highway 715 (file photo)

At least 26 people, many of them college students heading home after classes, were killed and 20 others were injured on Friday when a passenger minibus collided head-on with a container truck on a highway near Kaziranga National Park in the northeastern Indian state of Assam.

The crash happened at Rangajan, near the Hathikuli Tea Estate in the Kohora range of Golaghat district, on National Highway 715, which runs past the UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its one-horned rhinoceroses. The minibus was travelling from Bokakhat toward Nagaon with more than 35 passengers aboard, while the truck was headed toward Upper Assam, officials said.

Death toll rose through the day

The death toll climbed steadily as rescue teams pulled victims from the wreckage and hospitals reported new fatalities. The Associated Press initially reported at least 24 people killed and 11 injured, citing authorities. Later reports, citing hospital officials, put the toll at 26 dead and 20 injured.

Dr. Dipam Kumar Barman, a senior doctor at Kohora Model Hospital, told The Hindu that the death toll had reached 26 as ambulances transported victims to hospitals across the district. Twenty patients were referred to Jorhat Medical College and Hospital for advanced care, while others were treated at Kohora Model Hospital and Bokakhat Civil Hospital.

Eight of the dead were identified as Jyoti Majhi, Darpana Majhi, 12-year-old Anurag Goala, minibus driver Abdul Mujid, handyman Subhash, Rashid Ali, Hafiza Khatun and Farhana Yasmin. Two women and a minor were among those killed, officials said.

Speeding suspected as survivors describe overcrowding

Police said a preliminary investigation pointed to speeding. Golaghat Senior Superintendent of Police Swapnaneel Deka told the Press Trust of India that the minibus appeared to have been travelling at high speed, in violation of restrictions imposed near the park, when its driver apparently lost control and the vehicle crossed into the opposite lane.

Survivors told local media the minibus was severely overcrowded and speeding before it veered into the truck’s path, with some saying nearly 60 people were aboard. The truck driver, who was also injured, gave a similar account, saying he was driving on the proper side when the bus suddenly entered his lane. Dashcam footage from the truck has also emerged, capturing the moments before the collision.

A Golaghat District Transport Office official told The Hindu that the bus, registered to Anjir Ali of Nagaon, had repeated overspeeding fines, including a 4,000-rupee penalty in Jorhat on March 3 for driving at 102 kilometers per hour, with other fines pending in Kaziranga. Police said the exact number of passengers on board was not yet known.

A district administration official told PTI that an inquiry will examine how the crash happened and whether either vehicle broke traffic rules on seating capacity or speed limits near the park.

Leaders express grief, compensation announced

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma called the crash “a very sad and tragic event” and said the state government’s foremost priority was ensuring the injured receive the best possible medical care without delay. Sarma said Minister Ranoj Pegu would visit Kaziranga and that he would travel there on Saturday.

Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Atul Bora, who visited the crash site and hospitals, described the crash as one of the worst in Assam’s history and said police were investigating the cause. Autopsies will be held during the daytime on Saturday at Swahid Kushal Konwar Civil Hospital in Golaghat, on the chief minister’s orders.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “deeply anguished by the loss of lives” and announced an ex-gratia payment of 200,000 rupees (about $2,400) from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund to the next of kin of each person killed, and 50,000 rupees for each of the injured. President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan, Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also expressed condolences, as did Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi.

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi blamed alleged corruption and poor road construction quality for the tragedy, a claim the state government has not responded to publicly.

Why this matters

The crash is the latest deadly road disaster in India, where speeding and overcrowded passenger vehicles remain persistent killers on highways. It also raises fresh questions about enforcement of speed limits and passenger limits on the roads around Kaziranga, where vehicle restrictions are meant to protect both people and the wildlife that crosses the highway.

The tragedy came in a grim week for transport safety worldwide. Six people were killed when an eight-storey building under construction collapsed near Nairobi, and in the United States a tanker struck a docked river cruise ship in New Orleans, though all 180 people aboard survived.

Latest developments

Rescue operations at the site have concluded, and the injured remain under treatment at hospitals in Kohora, Bokakhat and Jorhat. Officials warned the death toll could still rise, as some of the injured were in critical condition. Police are continuing their investigation into the cause of the crash, including the number of passengers the minibus was carrying and whether it was overloaded.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many people died in the Assam bus crash?

At least 26 people were killed and 20 others were injured, according to hospital and police officials cited by The Hindu, PTI and Xinhua. The toll rose from an initial count of 24 as critically injured passengers died in hospital.

Where did the crash happen?

The collision happened at Rangajan, near the Hathikuli Tea Estate in the Kohora range of Golaghat district, on National Highway 715 near Kaziranga National Park in Assam, in northeastern India.

What caused the crash?

The cause is under investigation. Preliminary findings point to speeding: police say the minibus was travelling at high speed and may have lost control before crossing into the opposite lane. Survivors have also alleged the vehicle was overcrowded.

What compensation has been announced for the victims?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia payment of 200,000 rupees from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund to the next of kin of each person killed, and 50,000 rupees for each injured person.

The crash has shaken Assam, and the state’s leaders now face difficult questions about how a bus with a history of speeding fines, apparently carrying far more passengers than it should have, was allowed to keep running on one of the state’s busiest highways. The inquiry’s findings, and whether they lead to tougher enforcement around Kaziranga, will be closely watched in the days ahead.