Ambulance carrying woman’s body from Kolkata crashes on NH-31 in Assam, three critically injured

An ambulance transporting the body of a deceased woman from Kolkata to Assam met with a severe crash on National Highway-31 in Bongaigaon district on Thursday, January 21 leaving three people critically injured.

The accident occurred at Chaprakata, where the ambulance reportedly lost control while travelling at high speed and rammed into roadside infrastructure. The woman whose body was being transported has been identified as Jeleka Begum, a resident of Barpeta town. Following her death in Kolkata, her body was being brought back to her hometown for final rites.

According to officials, the impact of the crash was so violent that the body remained trapped inside the mangled ambulance for a considerable period, complicating rescue efforts. Three other occupants travelling in the vehicle sustained serious injuries.

Local residents rushed to the scene upon hearing the loud crash and alerted the police. Rescue operations were carried out jointly by locals and police personnel, after which the injured were shifted to Bongaigaon Civil Hospital, where their condition is reported to be critical.

The accident has plunged the bereaved family in Barpeta into further grief, as a journey meant to bring closure ended in tragedy. Police have seized the damaged ambulance and initiated a formal investigation into the cause of the accident. After completing necessary legal procedures, steps are being taken to hand over the body to the family.