TMC leader killed in crash; Madhyamik examinee hurt in separate road accident

Jalpaiguri/Siliguri: Two separate road accidents in North Bengal have triggered concern over road safety, leaving a Trinamool Congress leader dead and a Madhyamik examinee seriously injured.

In a tragic incident late on Tuesday night, Lutfur Rahman, district leader of the Trinamool Congress minority cell and president of the Jalpaiguri Sadar Block II minority cell, was killed in an accident on National Highway 31 near Gosala More in Jalpaiguri.

He was returning home on a motorcycle after picking up his daughter from tuition when a speeding truck or container vehicle rammed into them from behind. According to eyewitnesses, the impact threw his daughter onto the road, while Rahman was crushed under the truck. The motorcycle got lodged beneath the vehicle, which reportedly dragged it for several kilometres before friction ignited a fire. His daughter sustained serious injuries and is currently undergoing treatment at Jalpaiguri Medical College and Super Speciality Hospital.

The incident sparked protests, with relatives and locals blocking the highway near the Engineering College More and staging demonstrations against the police. Traffic was disrupted for a considerable time before a large police contingent restored order. Though the truck has been seized, the driver is absconding. Police have launched an investigation.

Meanwhile, in a separate accident on Wednesday morning, a Madhyamik examinee, Sabana Khatun of Fulbari High School, was seriously injured while on her way to appear for the Life Science examination.

She was struck by a speeding motorcycle while crossing the road in the Fulbari–Amaydeghi area. Despite receiving treatment and being allowed to sit for the exam, her condition worsened, and she was later shifted to a private hospital in Siliguri, where she remains under treatment.