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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 9 lakh each for the families of 26 killed in a tragic road accident in Kaziranga, and affirmed that the state government stands firmly with the affected families.
Expressing deep grief over the loss of lives, Sarma termed the incident "heartbreaking" and visited the accident spot to review the situation and interact with officials coordinating the emergency response. In a post shared on X, Sarma said, "Today I visited the accident site at Kaziranga. What happened there is heartbreaking. My thoughts and prayers are with every family who lost a loved one, and the Government of Assam stands with you at this painful time. Each bereaved family will receive Rs 9 lakh in compensation. No amount of money can make up for such a loss, especially for families who have lost more than one member, but we will make sure no family faces this alone." He further stated, "Within the next two to three days, I will personally visit the home of every family that lost someone. Additional doctors from Guwahati and other hospitals have been sent in so that post-mortems are completed quickly and the injured get the best possible care. A detailed investigation is underway, and we will look at every possible cause behind this tragedy." Addressing the issue of road safety in the state, Sarma made a notable admission regarding recent policy relaxations, declaring that the state administration will revert to strict enforcement without compromise. "I admit that some traffic decisions were relaxed at the Nalbari Cabinet meeting because of political pressure. Even then, I felt we should not have given in, and it will not happen again. We will bring back strict traffic rules and enforce them firmly, because people's lives come first," the Chief Minister asserted. The accident took place on Friday, when a passenger vehicle and a container truck collided head-on in the Rongajaan area of Golaghat district, near Kaziranga National Park. The death toll has risen to 26, with 24 victims identified and two still unidentified, officials said on Saturday. Nineteen injured people had initially been sent to Jorhat Medical College and Hospital, and two of them later died. One person at the hospital was yet to be identified. (ANI)
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