Kolkata: A footpath dweller was knocked down by a Kolkata Police bus on Thursday afternoon at Kalighat.
According to locals, while the bus was taking a 'U' turn, the driver failed to notice that a middle-aged person was crossing the road. The injured person was immediately removed to SSKM hospital where he was declared brought dead. Later, the person was identified as Baban Maity (56).
According to the police, on Thursday around 12:40 pm, a footpath dweller was crossing the road near Harish Chatterjee and Harish Mukherjee road crossing. In the meantime, a police bus bearing registration number WB 04C 8233 was making a 'U' turn towards Gopalnagar.
The driver did not notice Maity when he was taking the turn. While making the turn, the bus driver hit him as it was at a high speed.
Sources informed that one of the wheels went over Maity. Local traffic police personnel detained the offending driver and managed to hide him from public. The Kalighat police station was informed. Senior police officials were also informed.
Later, the bus was taken to Kalighat police station and the driver has been arrested.
Police informed that the bus was from the Reserve Force MTO section. According to sources, the bus was returning to its station, after dropping off police personnel of a special force who are engaged with the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's security.
A case has been initiated against the offending police bus driver. He has been booked under section of 304A IPC (causing death by negligence) and 279 IPC (rash driving on a public way). Later, the forensic experts visited the Kalighat police station and examined the offending bus to check whether any mechanical fault had occurred at the time of the accident.
In another incident, a Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) side-turned on the front portion of a parked police vehicle. The incident happened late on Wednesday night.