A festive shadow fell over Assam as separate road and rail accidents claimed four lives during Durga Puja pandal-hopping.
In Biswanath district's Gohpur, a head-on collision between a motorcycle and a truck near the T&T Market Gate resulted in three fatalities. Chandan Sahu was transporting his young nieces, Kritika Gupta (10) and Ritika Gupta (12), from Helem to visit local puja pandals when the crash occurred.
All three riders died on the spot. "The family has been completely devastated by this sudden tragedy during what should have been a time of celebration," noted a local police official handling the investigation.
Meanwhile, a separate railway mishap in Kaliabor claimed the life of a teenager. Rajiv Beluar was walking along the railway tracks at Hatigaon Salkona Basti while returning home from a pandal visit when he was struck by a Silghat-to-Guwahati passenger train.
The Government Railway Police (GRP) and local authorities have registered cases and initiated comprehensive inquiries. Officials confirmed that a state-wide investigation is underway to determine the precise causes of these festive-season accidents, urging commuters to exercise extreme caution on highways and near railway tracks during peak holiday traffic.