A baby boy survived Kaziranga crash that killed 26. Where are his parents?

As the Kaziranga accident death toll reached 26 on Saturday, authorities are scrambling to trace the parents of a two-year-old who survived the crash. Administration and medical officers said that the toddler will be handed over to child services if the search for the parents remains unsuccessful.

A day after the head-on collision between a minibus and a container truck left several injured as well, Bokakhat district administration officials said that nobody had come forward yet for the baby boy. Speaking to The Indian Express, Sujata Gogoi, co-district commissioner, Bokakhat, said, “The child is about two years old and the parents have still not been identified.

Some are saying that the child was travelling with the mother. But unfortunately, we have not been able to trace or identify the father as well.” “We really urge anyone with any information on the child to please come forward,” Gogoi said.

At the Swahid Kamala Miri Sub-Divisional Civil Hospital in Bokakhat, around 34 kilometres from the accident site, the child was kept under observation overnight, senior hospital administration officials said. Dr. Ajit Kakati, Sub-Divisional Medical and Health Officer (SDM&HO) told The Indian Express, “The baby had an injury on the forehead and was kept under observation overnight.

It was more like a wound. We have referred him to the Golaghat District Hospital for a CT scan. If the test results are normal, then we will have to hand over the baby to the Child Welfare Committee. Till now (as of 10 am) no one has come forward to take the child.” Following the accident, victims were taken to different hospitals across the district.

Out of the 26 people who died, two are yet to be identified. “The child is currently being accompanied by one nurse and two members from the ward. If parents are not found we will have to hand him over to the CWC and then they will take care of him and take it forward,” Dr.

Kakati said. The head-on collision happened between a minibus and a container truck in the Rangajan area of Golaghat district. The Assam Police said that the accident occurred around 2:30 pm Friday, and, according to the preliminary investigation, the minibus was speeding.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Biswajit Phukan, district commissioner Golaghat, said, “Unfortunately one more person has died and now the death toll stands at 26 (as of 9 am). All the injured are being treated and nobody has been released yet.” At least 15 others are currently under treatment at Jorhat Medical College and Hospital, with several of them being in critical condition, officials said.

The post-mortem for the deceased is also expected to be carried out and teams from Guwahati Medical College and Hospital arriving. According to officials, there were at least 12 women and a minor who were among the victims.

Earlier, Swapnaneel Deka, Senior Superintendent of Police, had said that there were three students among those who died. The driver of the minibus which was reportedly speeding also died on the spot, according to officials.

“Preliminary investigation reveals that rash and negligent driving appears to be the cause behind the accident. Further investigation is underway,” Deka said. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is also expected to visit Golaghat on Saturday to take stock of the situation, his office said.