Kolkata, April 8 – At least three people died, and ten others were injured in a head-on collision between a speeding four-wheeler and an auto-rickshaw carrying passengers on Wednesday in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.
The horrific road accident occurred on the Basanti Highway in the Minakhan police station area of the Basirhat subdivision of the district.
The accident took place right in front of the Minakhan Gram Panchayat office, according to police.
At least 10 other passengers who were seriously injured in the incident are currently in critical condition in the hospital.
Regarding the incident, one of the injured passengers from the auto-rickshaw involved, Laxman Mondal, told local media that the auto-rickshaw was traveling from Malancha towards Kolkata with several passengers. At that time, a speeding four-wheeler, which was returning from Kolkata, suddenly lost control in front of the Minakhan Gram Panchayat office and collided head-on with the auto-rickshaw. In this head-on collision, the auto-rickshaw was thrown onto the side of the road.
According to eyewitnesses, the intensity of the collision was so severe that two people died on the spot. Another person died on the way to the hospital.
Upon receiving news of the accident, officers from the Minakhan police station and central forces personnel on duty in the area immediately started rescue operations.
The ten injured people were rescued and taken to Minakhan Rural Hospital. After receiving initial treatment there, the injured were rushed to a hospital in Kolkata for advanced treatment, as their condition was very critical. The police recovered the two vehicles involved in the accident and took them to the police station. It is reported that an investigation has been launched to determine the real cause of the incident.
Upon learning about the incident, Pratik Mandal, an ISF candidate from the Minakhan Assembly constituency, reached Minakhan Hospital to meet the relatives of the deceased and injured. Terming the tragic incident as extremely painful, he said, "This horrific accident is unacceptable in any way. I personally pledge to stand by each affected family and will try to provide them with all necessary help."
