20 killed as bus collides with lorry on NH-34

Subhro Maitra | TNN



Malda: Twenty people, including nine women and two children, were killed and 30 injured when the private bus they were travelling in collided head-on with a sand-laden lorry on NH-34 on Thursday afternoon.
The accident took place at Rahatpur under Karandighi police station in North Dinajpur district, around 40 km towards Siliguri from Raiganj town. Thirteen passengers of the Hili-Siliguri private bus died on the spot and another seven died later in hospitals.
Those who have been identified are Biwi Tariza (35) of Chakulia, Soumen Kundu (19) and Shyamal Kundu (50) of Hili in South Dinajpur, Kundo Rishi (14), Parameswar Sarkar (40), Sanjib Das (40) of Raiganj and Mina Saha (30) of Raiganj. North Dinajpur SP Milan Kanti Das said most of the victims are yet to be identified.
“From preliminary investigation, we came to know that both the lorry and the bus were moving at a high speed.” However, an intensive probe has been started. North Dinajpur DM Ramanuj Chakraborty also visited the spot.
The injured passengers were sent to Karandighi Gramin Hospital first and then to Raiganj District Hospital. Chairman of Raiganj Municipality, Mohit Sengupta, was among the first to rush to the hospital.
Mainul Hoque, a resident of Rahatpur and an eyewitness of the accident, said the bus was speeding. “When it reached Rahatpur, a cyclist suddenly appeared before the bus. The driver swerved right to save the cyclist and collided head on with the lorry,” he narrated.
One of the injured passengers, Uttam Barman, a resident of Koartore village in Hemtabad of North Dinajpur, said from Raiganj District Hospital: “I boarded the bus from Raiganj with my two-year-old daughter and was going to Islampur. The bus was moving at a high speed. When it reached Rahatpur, we felt the bus turn right. Then we heard a sound. I Immediately held my daughter tight. So, she escaped unhurt. But I was injured on the head.”