Kaziranga accident death toll at 24: Gaurav Gogoi blames ‘corruption, contractor-politician nexus’ for tragedy

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi has blamed alleged corruption, poor construction quality and the nexus between contractors and politicians for the fatal road accident near Kaziranga in Assam, claiming that the tragedy could have been avoided if highways were properly built and maintained.

Reacting to the accident that claimed at least 24 lives, Gogoi alleged that national highways across Assam had become a "den of corruption" and questioned the collection of tolls by the government when, according to him, road infrastructure continued to remain in poor condition.

"The highways in Assam have become a den of corruption. The quality of construction is so poor that accidents are taking place every month. I don't know why the Government of India is collecting tolls, and I don't know why the Government of India is not maintaining proper highways," the Congress MP said.

Calling the tragedy unfortunate, Gogoi alleged that it could have been prevented and blamed what he described as corruption, the greed of contractors and their alleged nexus with politicians for putting ordinary commuters at risk.

His remarks have brought renewed attention to the condition and maintenance of highways in Assam, particularly the stretch near Kaziranga where the accident took place.

24 killed in Kaziranga collision

The accident occurred on November 13 at Rangajan, near Hathikuli Tea Estate in the Kohora range of Golaghat district, when a minibus collided head-on with a container truck on National Highway 715.

At least 24 people were killed and several others injured in the collision. Several of the deceased were college students returning from their classes. Two women were also among those killed.

According to police, the minibus was travelling at high speed and may have lost control before colliding with the truck. Golaghat Senior Superintendent of Police Swapnaneel Deka said the vehicle was allegedly violating speed restrictions imposed near the national park.

A detailed inquiry is expected to establish the circumstances leading to the crash and determine whether traffic regulations were violated.

The accident has also drawn attention to the minibus's traffic record. The vehicle reportedly had 12 paid challans amounting to Rs 38,500, while another penalty of Rs 4,000 remained outstanding. However, the vehicle's previous traffic violations do not by themselves establish the cause of Friday's accident.

Gogoi's remarks add to the wider debate over road safety, highway maintenance and accountability following the tragedy.