Police nab main accused in Thakurpukur accident

Police on Wednesday arrested Sirajul Molla, the accused driver who mowed down six persons at Thakurpukur’s Rasapunja on Monday after losing control of the wheel.

Investigators learnt that the youth was waiting in front of a girl’s school and had been driving the car at a high speed and went on to hit six persons, including five students and a guardian.

The victims were returning home from school and the deceased students were all aged between 12 and 14. The guardian was a middle-aged woman who, along with the other victims, died on the spot.

Sirajul was driving his father’s car. “The accused has a habit of driving at a high speed. He was accompanied by his friends in that car and caused the massive accident. All of them had consumed alcohol,” a police officer said.

It may be noted that the car had just filled fuel from a local petrol pump and immediately accelerated towards the main road. The children were walking down the road along with the woman, who was accompanying them to their homes.

The car smashed them and then hit a wall.“We had suspected the driver was intoxicated and were proved right. His friends were also drinking inside the car. The driver and his friend were injured. Molla managed to escape, but his friends could not do the same. They were later sent to the hospital. We arrested Molla on Wednesday,” the office added.

It may also be recalled that angry local residents had begun a demonstration at the spot of the accident. They alleged that the car was being driven at a very high speed.

Some of the residents told police officers that the car was running at around 90-100 kmph and the 

occupants were holding liquor bottles in their hand. It was round 4.30 pm that the incident took place at Rasapunjo crossing.

Local people, while protesting, started to pelt stones at policemen and even blocked the road. Police had to resort to lathi-charge to disperse the gathering of large number of people.