12 killed, 30 injured in bus-truck collision in Assam

At least 12 people were killed and around 30 others injured on Wednesday, 3 January in a head-on collision between a coal-laden truck and a bus in Golaghat district of Assam, police said.

The accident took place at Balijan near Dergaon this morning when the bus with 45 people on board collided with the goods vehicle, Golaghat Superintendent of Police Rajen Singh told PTI.

The bus was heading towards Upper Assam when the accident occurred.

"As of now, 12 people have been killed in the accident. The injured have been sent to a hospital," he said.

Singh also said an investigation is on and more details will be revealed later.

A senior doctor at Jorhat Medical College and Hospital told reporters that 30 injured people were undergoing treatment at the health facility.

"The condition of some of the injured is critical. We are monitoring them," she added.

According to an official from the local police station, the accident took place around 4:30 am when the bus, which was on its way to Tilinga Mandir in Tinsukia district for a picnic from Kamargaon in Golaghat, collided with the truck.

"The truck was coming from the Jorhat direction on the wrong side as a portion of the four-lane highway got damaged. The bus was on the right track. There was fog and both the vehicles were at high speed," he added.