Guwahati, October 3: At least 33 labourers including 12 children and 6 women were killed in a tragic road mishap in Assam’s Barpeta district in the early hours of Thursday, officials said.
The incident took place in the Dahalapara area of the district, where a speeding truck hit two vehicles around 4-30 am on Thursday. Initially, it was reported that at least 29 people were killed and nine others injured. The number killed now stands at 33.
All the deceased labourers travelling in the cruiser vehicles came from the Dhubri Tamarhat area to Rangia area in the rural Kamrup district.
“The speedy truck (WB-25-C-2618) hit the vehicles (AS-17-B-0033, AS-01-AC-8188) at the area, after the tyre blast of the truck,” a top police official from the Barpeta district said.
“The deceased labourers had worked in brick kilns, who hailed from Khulkhuli village under Tamarhat police station in Dhubri district,” the police official said.
The injured persons were taken to the nearest hospitals and top police and civil administration officials had rushed to the area.
Five of the injured were admitted to the Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) and nine others were admitted to Barpeta Medical College Hospital (BMCH).
The deceased persons have not been publicly identified yet.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi visited the BMCH and announced Rs 1 lakh would be paid to each of the next kin of the deceased and Rs 25000 each to the injured persons. The Assam CM also ordered a high level inquiry into the accident.
Police reported that they have apprehended the driver of the truck.
