New Town: Woman dies after bus hits scooter, driver held

Kolkata: A woman was killed in a road accident in New Town on Thursday morning while on her way to work.

The victim, identified as Banasree Pal, an IT employee, was riding a scooter to her office when the mishap occurred. Police said Pal had taken a U-turn just before the Narkelbagan crossing on the Salt Lake-bound flank and was waiting to turn left towards Pride Plaza. At the same time, a state-run AC bus heading towards Eco Park attempted a left turn at the crossing. The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle and hit the scooter, fatally injuring Pal.

Police have seized the bus, arrested the driver, and initiated a case against him.

Traffic cops from the Narkelbagan crossing rushed to the spot after hearing the crash and rescued the victim. She was taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared her brought dead. According to police sources, the bus driver claimed during interrogation that he was focused on the left side of the bus while moving through the crossing and failed to notice the woman waiting to take the turn.

Meanwhile, residents of New Town expressed concern over the reckless manner in which buses operate in the area. They alleged that many buses routinely violate traffic signals, compete with one another on the same route, and often skip designated stoppages in a bid to overtake rivals, creating risks for commuters and pedestrians.

“Rash and negligent driving of buses has become a common sight in New Town. At night, Barasat-bound buses are often seen racing with each other. Even state-run buses are sometimes found competing with private ones. A fatal accident can happen anytime,” said S Chowdhury, a resident of Action Area 2B.