North Lakhimpur: In a tragic road accident on Wednesday afternoon, four members of a family lost their lives after their car crashed into a divider at an unused toll plaza in Assam’s Lakhimpur district.
The accident occurred around 3:30 pm at Pathali Pahar under the Banderdewa Police Outpost along National Highway 15.
According to reports, a sedan, a Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire (registration number AS07J 6514), rammed into the divider of a toll plaza that has reportedly remained unused for nearly five years.
The impact of the collision was severe, killing the driver, Dipankar Hazarika, and his wife, Pori Hazarika, on the spot. Their one-year-old daughter and Dipankar’s father, Jagyaram Hazarika, succumbed to their injuries while being taken to the hospital.
Sources said the family was returning to their home in Harmutty, Lakhimpur, from Ketela Catholic Hospital in Borgang, located in Biswanath district. Dipankar Hazarika, a teacher at No. 2 Garmur ME School, had taken his ailing father to the hospital for treatment.
The tragedy deepened with the revelation that the youngest victim was due to celebrate her first birthday the following day.
The accident has cast a pall over the local community. Residents and members of the public have also raised serious concerns over the unused four-lane toll plaza on NH-15 and the lack of speed control measures around the structure, questioning whether better road safety arrangements could have prevented the tragedy.
Authorities are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident.