The death toll in the terrible Dergaon bus accident in Assam's Golaghat remained at 12 with no further deaths reported during treatment of the injured. However, as of Thursday, several of the victims remain critical.
In the early hours of Wednesday morning, a picnic-goers' troupe travelling on a bus from Golaghat to Tinsukia met with an accident at Balijan near Dergaon leaving 10 people dead on the spot and several others injured. The death toll rose to 12 with two people dying on the way to hospital.
As per fresh reports, four of the critically injured victims of the accident were transferred to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) last night.
Those who were brought to GMCH in Guwahati were identified as Kulumoni Saikia, Preeti Saikia, Mridul Saikia and Arup Saikia. Among them, Kulumoni and Preeti are mother and daughter by relation.
All of the injured are under constant observation from a team of experts at GMCH. The doctors attending the group of patients have revealed the extent of their injuries.
According to the information received, Preeti Saikia, aged six years, was brought to GMCH at around 1 am on January 4. She was found with ENT bleeding and prestitch wound of six centimetres extending from the base of her ear to the base of the mandibular angle. She reportedly will require to undergo plastic surgery. She is being treated by Dr H Ahmed.
Her mother Kulomoni Saikia was brought to GMCH at 1:25 am and was found with tenderness over the left shoulder joint with a lacerated injury over the right knee joint. She reportedly broke six of her ribs and currently is under the observation of Dr R Das.
Meanwhile, Mridul Saikia, another passenger on the bus who was critically injured, was brought to GMCH at 1:06 am and was found with swelling and tenderness over left forearm, laceration on right infraorbital region, and laceration on left temporal region. He was admitted to ICU and is being constantly observed by Dr R Das.
Furthermore, Arup Saikia, aged 37 years, was brought to GMCH at 6:18 am today and is being treated by Dr H Ahmed. He had a prestitch wound between his knee on the left side and an abrasion on the right knee.
Meanwhile, sources said that the mother-daughter duo of Kulumoni and Preeti tragically lost their husband and father Nabajit Saikia to the accident.
It may be noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives in the tragic road accident in Assam's Dergaon which falls in the Golaghat district. President Droupadi Murmu also expressed her anguish over the incident.
Taking to X, PM Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the bereaved and an additional Rs 50,000 to the injured. The amount will be paid from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund.
