Speeding truck mows down five outside Assam temple

Guwahati, Aug 12 (IANS) At least five devotees were killed and one critically injured after a speeding truck hit them outside a temple in Assam’s Kokrajhar district on Monday, officials said. The truck had the registration number of Rajasthan.According to police, during the holy month of Sawan, devotees taking part in the ‘Bol Bom Yatra’ were hit by a speeding truck near the Mahamaya temple in the district.The devotees had assembled at the shrine to perform ‘Jal Abhishekam’.Superintendent of Police in Kokrajhar district, Pushpraj Singh stated, “The truck hit four persons in front of the Mahamaya temple in the Kachugaon region, resulting in their deaths on the spot. Another individual was injured in the event, and he was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Later that person also died at the hospital.”The deceased individuals have been identified as Nabojit Ghosh (22), Sukra Kanta Roy (20), Joyo Roy (11), Bappi Ghosh (21), and Basudev Roy (22).They were residents from Hatigarh Village in the Gossaigaon area of the district. Their death in the accident plunged the village into mourning.The police said that another person Binan Roy (22), who was critically injured, was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition. He is undergoing treatment there.The driver of the truck was apprehended and was being questioned. Further details of the driver were being ascertained.The police stated that proper speed restrictions were imposed near the temple; however, the truck was overspeeding when it hit the devotees. However, the locals alleged that the district administration did not make sufficient security arrangements despite knowing that many devotees would come to the temple.A case under the relevant section was registered and the arrested individual will be produced in the court.Meanwhile, the bodies were handed over to the families after post-mortem examinations.–IANStdr/dpb