Seven people were killed and seven others injured after a minibus collided head-on with a truck in Assam’s Kamrup Metropolitan district, police said on Monday.
The accident took place on National Highway 27 at Tetelia near Sonapur on Sunday evening. Four people, including a woman, died on the spot, while three others later succumbed to their injuries.
“Three more persons succumbed to their injuries. Another seven people are undergoing treatment at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital,” an officer at Khetri police station said.
The minibus was carrying 14 people, including the driver and handyman, all of whom were affected by the crash. No one travelling in the truck was injured, police said.
According to Guwahati Police Additional Deputy Commissioner (Traffic) Safiqul Hussain, the minibus was travelling towards Guwahati while the truck was coming from the opposite direction.
The bus driver allegedly lost control after the vehicle hit a large pothole, crossed the divider and collided with the truck in the opposite lane. Police are examining the claim, Hussain said.
Following the accident, local residents blocked the highway on Sunday night to protest against what they described as poor road maintenance.
“Many accidents have occurred on this stretch due to pathetic road conditions,” a local protester said, alleging that repeated demands for repairs had gone unheeded.
The protesters also threatened to shut the nearby National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) toll plaza at Sonapur until the road was repaired.
The crash triggered a major traffic jam, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded for several hours. Senior officials reached the spot to manage the situation and restore traffic movement.
(With inputs from PTI)