RESUBELPARA, May 9: Two people were killed on the spot while another five are said to be in a critical condition after a vehicle turned turtle on Monday afternoon while returning from a picnic at the picturesque Rongma Gittil under Kharkutta C&RD Block in North Garo Hills.
Furthermore, other occupants of the vehicle, numbering to at least 30, sustained minor injuries.
The incident occurred after driver lost control of the vehicle due to an apparent break failure, leading to the vehicle turning turtle.
As per police reports, an all-male group from the local Church of Silluk in Assam’s Goalpara had gone to the tourist spot for picnic.
“We rushed to the spot after informing the Kharkutta PHC of the accident, asking them to send ambulances to take care of the injured. Those with minor injuries are currently being treated at the PHC itself,” informed a police officer.
Those with critical injuries were referred to hospitals in Goalpara where they are currently undergoing treatment.
The two deceased have been identified as Lokat K Sangma and Hejalson G Momin, both of whom were in their 60s. The deceased along with those injured belong to the village of Silluk in Assam.
Meanwhile, Monday’s incident has brought to light the poor state of rural infrastructure after frenetic attempts were made to secure ambulances to help those who were critically injured.
As per information received, the Kharkutta PHC only has one ambulance to cater to critical injuries. Further, availability of 108 services only in Rari and Mendipathar in the district further compounded the problem.
It was only with the help of locals, including the former MLA of Kharkutta Cherak Momin, that ambulances were arranged from elsewhere, including Assam, so that the critically injured could be taken to Goalpara.
“We were able to arrange 3 ambulances to take those injured as the number of emergency vehicles in the PHC were inadequate. There is an absolute need to build rural health infrastructure so that such incidents are not repeated. Even a five minute delay could mean life or death and lives cannot be endangered this way,” said Cherak.
