At least 6 people were killed while 30 others were injured in a bus mishap at Kuthakuthi under Dhupdhara police station in Assam’s Goalpara district.
Police said the mishap took place when a speeding bus (AS-01BC-2848) fell into a ditch after it rammed into a roadside electric post.
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The bus was on its way to Guwahati from Dhubri at the time of the mishap.
Five people died on the spot in the incident while one passenger died on the way to the hospital.
The mishap took place in between 7 to 8 am on NH-17.
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The area of the occurrence is about 63 km from Goalpara town.
The deceased have been identified as Abida Khatun of Dhubri town, Chandan Saha and Hafijuddin Sheikh of Gauripur town, Abul Hussain Miah of Chapar town, Gokul Roy (CISF jawan) and Montu Sheikh.
All of the deceased are reportedly from the Dhubri district.
An army vehicle, coincidentally passing at the time of the mishap, immediately came forward to carry out the initial rescue operation which saved the lives of many other passengers.
Three police teams from Dhupdhara, Rongjuli and Dudhnoi also extended their helping hand and rescued the passengers locked inside the bus.
Amitabh Basumatary, additional superintendent of police, who supervised the rescue operation said timely help of the local people, police and army resulted in reducing the number of the death toll.
The injured were rushed to the Dhupdhara model and Goalpara civil hospital. Those critically injured were sent to Gauhati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH).
Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal has mourned the death of the bus mishap victims and prayed for their departed souls.
He also directed the deputy commissioners concerned to take care of the treatment of the injured passengers.
Meanwhile, in another road mishap on the same day at Dudhnoi Puranibhita area, one Binoy Basumatary died on the spot when a passenger bus hit him.