Kolkata: Five persons killed and at least 31 injured after a truck and a passenger-bus collided head on at Chandrakona in West Midnapore early on Wednesday morning.
According to locals, the truck was driving rashly and thus the accident took place.
On Wednesday, a passenger-bus was coming from Kharagpur along Chandrakona-Ghatal State Highway headed to Tarakeshwar.
The truck was going towards Kharagpur using the same road. Near Khejurdanga, a cycle rickshaw came in the way of the bus. To avoid collision, the bus driver turned his steering right. Just after overtaking the rickshaw, when the driver was about to move the bus left, the truck, which was running at high speed, collided head on with the bus and as a result both the vehicles toppled.
On hearing the loud noise and screams from the passengers of the bus, locals rushed to their aid.
Chandrakona police station was informed. Locals commenced the rescue operation. Later, police went to the spot and started rescuing passengers. Five persons died in the accident. Four of them including bus driver Srikumar Dey, a resident of Bankura and truck driver Chandan Roy, a resident of Bihar died on the spot.
Another injured person succumbed to his injuries at Chandrakona Rural Hospital.
It was alleged that the truck driver was rash driving. Before reaching the incident spot, a few kilometers behind, the truck driver had hit a bike while overtaking two bikers. Both of them sustained
minor injuries.
On Wednesday, Superintendent of Police (SP) in West Midnapore, Alok Rajoria, said: "Till now five persons have died. Several injured persons are ongoing treatment at multiple hospitals here. We came to know that the truck driver was driving his vehicle dangerously. Thus, the incident happened."
Among the injured persons, seven persons were shifted to Medinipore Medical College and Hospital as their health condition deteriorated. A few injured persons were shifted to Ghatal Sub-Divisional Hospital as their health condition was not much critical.
A passenger of the bus identified as Ratna Mallick, who is an ICDS staff and had boarded the bus from Midnapore for Birsingha, said: "The bus driver was driving perfectly and at a moderate speed. I was sitting beside the driver in the cabin. All of a sudden a speeding truck hit the front and after that I do not remember what happened later."