One woman was killed and 35 persons were injured in two separate road accidents in the state on Saturday.
Mamani Bauri (30), who was walking along the National Highway 60 at Topsi area of Jamuria, was hit by a matador when it was racing with a truck going in the same direction.
The incident happened on Saturday morning. The local residents ransacked both the vehicles and put up blocks on National Highway 60. The victim, a resident of Mathpara area was walking along the National Highway 60 when she was going to her workplace. When she was crossing the Ranigunge More, the matador hit the victim. Both the vehicles were heading towards Haridevpur.
Local people told the police that while racing with each other, the truck dashed the matador as a result of which, the matador lost control and overturned on the road after hitting the victim.
An irate mob damaged both the vehicles, the drivers of which had fled from the spot immediately after the accident. The local residents put up roadblocks on NH 60 protesting against the over-speeding of vehicles in the area. Vehicles were caught in a traffic jam due to the incident. The roadblocks were lifted after senior police officers in the district assured a crackdown on vehicles that flout traffic norms. Police have started raids to nab both the drivers.
In another accident, as many as 35 persons were injured some of them critically, when the bus they were traveling in collided head on with a truck coming from the opposite direction.
The incident occurred on early Saturday morning near Hebir More area on Bankura-Durgapur state highway in Bankura. The local people said that the bus was carrying passengers to Ukhardihi from Bankura via Mankanali.
The local people also said that the road was slippery due to prolonged rain for the past few days and this might have led to the incident.
After being attracted by a loud thud, the local residents rushed to the spot and rescued the injured passengers and took them to the Bankura Sammilani Medical College and Hospital.
According to the preliminary investigation, police suspect that the truck was at a high speed when the accident took place. The police are yet to ascertain the exact cause of the accident. The drivers of both the vehicles reportedly fled from the spot immediately after the incident.
According to the hospital authorities, some of the injured passengers are in critical condition. Police are conducting raids to nab the drivers.