Five killed in Kaliachak road mishap

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Nov. 29: Five persons, including two women and a child, were killed and 20 others injured when an overcrowded private bus collided head-on with a truck on NH-34 at Dariapur in Malda’s Kaliachak police station area today, police said. While two persons, including the helper of the bus, died on the spot, the others succumbed to their injuries at the Malda district hospital. Four of the five victims have been identified as Orsalim (22), Semi Biwi (22), Soma (4) and Firdousi (16).All the victims hailed from Pashchim Baranagar in Malda’s Jalalpur gram panchayat area.The injured persons are undergoing treatment at the Malda district hospital.The condition of two of the injured is stated to be serious, hospital sources, said.It was learnt that the bus was moving at a high speed, carrying more than 50 passengers. It was on its way to Kaliachak from Malda.Police said the bus had the capacity to take in only 24 passengers. Passengers held rash driving and poor condition of the NH-34 responsible for the mishap.According to eyewitnesses, two persons fell from the bus instantly and were run over by the truck.The driver of the truck also lost control of the vehicle and it skidded off the road, theysaid. Locals rushed to the spot and helped the injured passengers reach the hospital. Traffic movement was paralysed on the busy national high for nearly an hour due to the accident today.Police officials said an inquiry had been ordered into the accident. #

Pic: P Sanyal