At least seven people were killed and five others injured after a passenger bus collided head-on with a goods truck on National Highway-27 in Assam’s Kamrup Metro district on Sunday evening.

The accident occurred in the Sonapur-Khetri area on the outskirts of Guwahati. According to police, the bus was travelling from Nagaon towards Guwahati when it lost control and crossed the divider before crashing into the truck coming from the opposite direction.

Bus Collides With Goods Truck

The accident took place at Nalagedera-Tetelia under Khetri police station.

Police said the passenger bus lost control before crossing the road divider and hitting the goods truck. The impact was severe, leaving the front portion of the bus completely mangled.

Rescue teams had to cut open parts of the damaged vehicle to pull out passengers trapped inside.

Seven Dead, Five Injured

Three people died at the accident spot, while around nine injured passengers were taken to Guwahati Medical College and Hospital.

Four of the injured later succumbed during treatment, taking the death toll to seven. The deceased were identified as Prashanta Talukdar, Anima Deka Bordoli, Gopal Das, Insan Ali Sheikh, Tafajul Ali, Jutika Ronghang and Idris Ali.

Bus Had 14 People

Investigating officer Dhiren Saika Sonowal said the bus was carrying 14 people, including the driver and a helper.

Both the driver and helper died at the scene. However, rescuers found 12 people during the operation, prompting police to believe that some passengers seated towards the rear may have managed to leave the accident site on their own.

Pothole Under Investigation

Local residents claimed that the bus hit a large pothole on the highway before crashing into the truck.

The Additional Deputy Commissioner (Traffic), Guwahati, said the bus lost control and crossed the divider. Police are examining the road condition and the claim that a pothole contributed to the accident.

Authorities have not yet officially concluded that the pothole was the direct cause of the crash.

Truck Driver Flees

The driver of the goods truck reportedly fled the accident site after the collision.

Police are searching for him as part of the investigation. No person travelling in the goods truck was injured in the crash, officials said.

Locals Protest Over Road Condition

The accident triggered anger among local residents, who blocked NH-27 on Monday morning.

Protesters alleged that pothole-related accidents have become frequent on the highway and accused the local administration of failing to address the condition of the road.

₹5 Lakh Compensation Announced

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited the accident site on Monday and announced ₹5 lakh compensation for the family of each deceased person.

He said the condition of the road was being examined and that the Assam Chief Secretary would consult the National Highways Authority of India on the issue.

Sarma said appropriate action would be taken if anyone was found responsible.

NHAI Given Seven-Day Deadline

Following a meeting involving the district administration, police, NHAI officials, elected representatives and local residents, the NHAI agreed to repair all potholes along the Khanapara-Sonapur stretch within seven days.

The repair work will cover the stretch from Khanapara through Sonapur to NH-37 in Kamrup Metro.

Site Engineer Removed

NHAI official Abhishek Kumar said repair work would be completed within the stipulated period.

He also said an investigation and legal action would be initiated against contractors associated with the road stretch. The NHAI has terminated the site engineer and requested the administration to take legal action against the contractors and relevant agencies.

Monitoring Committee Formed

A committee has been formed to monitor the road repair work.

The committee is expected to submit its report to the Deputy Commissioner by September 8. A separate meeting of the District Road Safety Committee has also been scheduled for September 3 to examine safety concerns along the Sonapur highway stretch.

Conclusion

The Assam accident has left seven people dead and five injured after a passenger bus travelling towards Guwahati collided with a goods truck on NH-27 in Kamrup Metro district.

While police said the bus lost control and crossed the divider, local residents have claimed that a large pothole may have contributed to the crash. The exact cause remains under investigation.

The Assam government has announced ₹5 lakh compensation for each deceased person’s family, while the NHAI has been ordered to repair potholes along the Khanapara-Sonapur stretch within seven days. Authorities have also initiated action against those responsible for the road’s condition and formed a committee to monitor the repairs.