Three killed on NH 34

MALDA, 29 MAY: Three members of a family were killed and two others injured when they were hit by a speeding lorry on National Highway 34 at English Bazaar town in Malda today. The lorry lost control and struck a rickshaw on which the family of four was travelling. The deceased have been identified as Rita Mandal (45) and her daughters Juli Mandal (20) and Jhumjhumi Mandal (13). Rita's 10-year-old son Biswajit Mandal was also hurt in the accident and is undergoing treatment. The rickshaw puller Krishna Dey is in critical condition and fighting for life in the Malda district hospital. The doctors are not hopeful about his condition. Locals caught hold of the driver of the offending vehicle, Mr Munshi Mandi, and assaulted him severely. The police rescued him and admitted him into hospital for treatment. Tension erupted in the area after the incident as an angry mob damaged the lorry and tried to set it on fire. The police had to make a lathi-charge to disperse the mob and clear the NH 34 of congestion. Traffic came to a halt on the highway when the irate mob started agitating, demanding proper traffic manage-ment on NH 34 from Rathbari to Sukanta More. The police intervened to clear the NH of the agitators.;SNS