Irate mob attacks cops after student dies in accident

A mob turned violent and attacked the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) and an officer in-charge of a local police station following a road accident in which a school student was killed after being hit by a truck at Farakka on Friday morning.

Tension ran high at the NTPC More as an irate mob chased down the police personnel who reached the spot soon after the accident. Policemen, including the SDPO and the officer in-charge received injuries when the mob attacked them with sticks. Some police personnel who were at the spot fled after hundreds of people charged at them. The mob also pelted stones at the police personnel.

The mob ransacked the truck that killed a girl student who was trying the cross road near NTPC More. The accused truck driver, however, fled from the spot immediately after theaccident. Police officers were taken to a hospital for treatment. It was learnt that they received injuries on their head. The victim has been identified as Rumpa Haldar (17), who was a student of Class XI and a resident of number 2 barrage colony area.

The agitated mob also set a state-run bus on fire damaging it completely. A fire tender was pressed into action to douse the flame. The mob also ransacked some other vehicles which were caught in the traffic jam that happened following the road accident. A huge contingent of police rushed to the spot and dispersed the mob. CISF jawans were also deployed who brought the situation under control after nearly two hours.

Police said that the truck was at a top speed when it lost control and mowed down the school girl who was trying to cross the road on her way to school. After the girl was taken to a nearby hospital by the locals, doctors declared the student brought dead.

As soon as the incident happened, some local people including some students from a nearby school brought bamboo sticks and started ransacking vehicles. The situation soon went beyond control as there were only a few policemen present at the spot.

A senior police officer in the district informed that normalcy was restored in the area and police were trying to identify the accused who had fueled the violence.

Local people alleged that loaded trucks often ply through the area recklessly leading to accidents. Despite repeated pleas, police did not take any steps against the vehicles that flout traffic norms. They also alleged that heavy vehicles are often parked by the side of the road causing serious inconvenience to the local residents.