Kolkata: Two youths were killed and three others injured after their vehicle skidded off a mountain road and plunged into a gorge near Tinghumti in Kurseong’s Pankhabari area early on Saturday, police said.
The deceased have been identified as Sumit Singh (18), a resident of Futani More, and Rajesh Paswan (21) of Kotia Jote — both from Naxalbari in Siliguri. The injured — Karan Thakur, Raj Das, and Tarak Biswas, also residents of Naxalbari — were taken to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri, where they are undergoing treatment.
Police said the five friends had left Naxalbari in a small car late on Friday night for a short trip to the hills. The accident occurred on their return journey when the driver apparently lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a bend on Pankhabari Road, causing it to plunge into a deep gorge.
Officers from Kurseong police station, with the help of locals, rescued the injured and recovered the bodies from the wreckage. The bodies of the deceased were sent for post-mortem to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital.
The incident occurred as normal life in the Darjeeling hills was gradually resuming after recent weather-related disruptions. Police have launched an investigation to ascertain the exact cause of the accident.