Tragic Guwahati Highway Crash: Young Athlete Killed, Two Injured by Speeding Vehicle

GUWAHATI — A wave of grief has swept through the sports community in Assam after a tragic hit-and-run accident on National Highway 27 claimed the life of a young athlete and left two others seriously injured on Monday evening, July 27, 2026.

The deceased has been identified as 17-year-old Vaishnavi Saha, a promising state-level Kabaddi player and a resident of the Dhirenpara area. The two injured players have been identified as Vidya and Manisha, both residents of Amingaon, who are currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital.

According to police and local eyewitnesses, the tragic accident occurred near the Basistha–Sarusajai stretch of the national highway in Lokhra. The three young athletes had just finished their routine practice session at the Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex inside the Sarusajai Stadium.

As they were attempting to cross the busy national highway to head home, a speeding commercial vehicle traveling from Lokhra toward Khanapara violently struck them. The impact was catastrophic, killing 17-year-old Vaishnavi on the spot.

Rather than stopping to render aid, the driver fled the scene immediately, leaving the three teenage girls on the asphalt. Passerby and local residents quickly rushed to the scene to assist the victims and alerted the authorities.

Officials from the Basistha Police Station arrived shortly after the incident. While the two injured Kabaddi players were rushed to a critical care hospital in serious condition, Vaishnavi’s body was recovered and sent for a post-mortem examination.

Using local eyewitness testimonies and tracking systems, the Basistha Police successfully identified the vehicle involved (bearing registration number AS 26 C 4335). Law enforcement officials confirmed that the commercial vehicle has since been seized and the driver has been taken into police custody as investigations continue.

The heartbreaking incident has reignited intense public outrage regarding pedestrian safety along Guwahati’s major traffic corridors. The stretch of the national highway running past Sarusajai Stadium is heavily used by athletes, students, and daily commuters who frequently risk crossing the multi-lane, fast-moving highway by foot.

While authorities have noted that foot over bridges are currently under construction at several crucial spots along the corridor, locals argue that the pace of infrastructure development has lagged far behind the city's rapid traffic growth. The sports community and residents are now calling for stricter speed-enforcement measures and immediate safety barricades to ensure that no more young lives are cut short.