2 killed, 60 injured as bus hits bike near Kalna

Kolkata: Two persons were killed and as many as 60 others were injured when a bus overturned after hitting a motorcycle.

The incident occurred at Nirorgachi area near Kalna in East Midnapore on Thursday morning and led to a massive traffic congestion. Local residents staged a demonstration, protesting against rash driving of the vehicles.

Police said that the deceased, identified as Feroz Mullick (26) and Sahanawaz Karigar (23), were riding on a motorcycle when a crowded bus knocked them down. The bus driver applied emergency brake and the vehicle overturned on the road, injuring 60 passengers.

The bus was going to Kalna from Bolpur in Birbhum. Among the injured passengers, five are stated to be in critical condition.

Mullick and Karigar died at the spot, while the passengers were taken to a hospital in Kalna. Those who had received critical injuries were later shifted to Burdwan Medical College and Hospital, while the bodies of the deceased were sent for postmortem.

Local residents took part in the rescue operation

and removed some of the injured passengers from the vehicle before police reached the spot.

They told the police that the bus was running at a high speed when the motorcycle suddenly came in front of it.

The agitation of the local residents was later lifted following the intervention of senior police officers.

Traffic movement was resumed after nearly two hours. Police have started a probe into the incident. None has been arrested so far.