Kaziranga: The driver of the mini-bus involved in the accident in Assam’s Kaziranga on Friday may have suffered a heart attack moments before the deadly collision with a container truck, the state’s chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday.
The death toll in the crash has risen to 26, while 16 passengers are undergoing treatment. Nearly a dozen of them are in intensive care units. Several students, returning from classes, were among the victims.
Sarma visited Kaziranga and inspected the accident site on Saturday. He referred to dashcam footage from the truck involved in the collision, saying that the visuals suggested the traveller (mini-bus) suddenly veered into the path of the container truck.
“The road appeared clear before the traveller suddenly changed direction and moved towards the container truck. The investigators are examining two possible explanations: whether the driver was under the influence of alcohol or had suffered a stroke,” Sarma said, as reported by NDTV.
The state government had decided to conduct the driver’s post-mortem examination in a detailed manner to help determine the exact cause of the incident, he said.
The driver was a local resident and should have been aware of the traffic restrictions in the Kaziranga area, he noted.
“Most stretches of Kaziranga have the speed limit of 40 kmph along this stretch,” he said.
He also announced compensation of Rs 9 lakh for the family of each victim who died in the crash. Of the total amount, Rs 7 lakh will be provided by the Assam government and Rs 2 lakh by the Centre.
The accident occurred at Rongajan near the Kaziranga National Park in Golaghat district on National Highway-715. It left the mini-bus badly mangled, triggering a massive rescue operation involving police personnel, district administration officials and local residents.
The passenger vehicle was travelling at a high speed before the collision, initial reports suggested. A detailed investigation is underway to ascertain the actual circumstances that led to the crash.