Bus, container truck collide head-on in India, killing 23

NEW DELHI: A head-on collision between a container truck and a passenger bus killed at least 23 people, including three children, in eastern India on Friday, a police official told AFP.

The crash took place on a highway bordering Kaziranga National Park in the northeastern state of Assam.

The road is a designated animal corridor, where strict speed limits are in place.

"The total number of casualties is 23," said Swapneel Deka, the local district police chief.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said he was "deeply distressed by the tragic accident."

"The scale of this loss has shaken all of us, and my heart goes out to every family that has lost a loved one," Sarma said on X.

India, with a population of 1.4 billion, recorded more than 183,000 road traffic deaths in 2025, or over 500 a day, according to the roads ministry.

Many accidents are linked to inadequate road infrastructure, poorly maintained vehicles and exhausted drivers, according to official data.--AFP