Six die, many injured in bus collision near Assam-Arunachal border

North Lakhimpur, May 23 (ANI): At least six persons died on the spot while scores were injured when two night passenger buses collided head on over a bridge here early Wednesday morning in Assam's North Lakhimpur district.

The deceased included the driver, handyman and four passengers who died on the spot, while 35 others, including many in serious condition were rushed to a nearby civil hospital.

The mishap occurred when the Sillapthar-bound night super bus (AS-01B-2611) heading for Barpeta with about 40 passengers collided head-on with the Arunachal Pradesh State Transport (APST) night super bus (No AR-02-0414), which was on the way to Arunachal Pradesh capital Itanagar from Upper Siang district HQ Yingkiong with 35 passengers.

The APST bus, after refuelling in the Shantilal petrol depot along the NH 52, had travelled about 50 metres when the Assam bus, coming from other direction collided with it at a high speed on the Haijan Bridge around 4.30 a.m.

Local people alerted by the deafening sound rushed to the spot to conduct rescue operations. They retrieved the dead and injured from the mangled buses and rushed them to the hospital with the help of vehicle crossing on the highway before the police came.

A heavy downpour that lasted over two hours hampered rescue operations at the accident site.

Arunachal Pradesh Government officers and relatives of passengers have rushed to the spot, besides Yingkiong legislator Alo Libang and Law Parliamentary Secretary JK Panggeng along to assist in the rescue operation. They evacuated an injured passenger to Arunachal State Hospital, Naharlagun, immediately. (ANI)