Four people were killed and 10 were seriously injured after a passenger-laden bus of the North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) rammed into the rear of a trailer parked in the Maynaguri area of Jalpaiguri district in north Bengal. The accident took place on National Highway 27 on Sunday.
According to the police, at least 57 passengers were injured in the accident. Hospital sources said the condition of 10 of them is critical. Four people died on their way to hospital. One of the deceased has been identified as Sajal Sarkar, while the identities of the others are yet to be ascertained.
Jalpaiguri Superintendent of Police Sujata Kumari Veenapani confirmed that four people died in the accident. According to the police, 37 of the injured are undergoing treatment at Jalpaiguri Super Speciality Hospital, while another 20 have been admitted to Maynaguri Rural Hospital.
The accident occurred after the NBSTC bus travelling from Siliguri to Cooch Behar crossed the Teesta Bridge and reached the Ulladabari area. Preliminary investigations revealed that the speeding bus crashed into the rear of a trailer parked on the side of the national highway.
The impact of the collision was so severe that the front portion of the bus became lodged inside the rear section of the trailer. Several passengers seated in the front rows were trapped in the mangled remains of the bus following the collision. Local residents rushed to the scene after hearing the sound of the crash and were the first to begin rescue operations.
Later, personnel from the police and fire services, along with several ambulances from Maynaguri Police Station, reached the spot after receiving information about the incident. The rescue operation continued for several hours. Trapped passengers were rescued after emergency responders cut through the twisted metal parts of the bus.
The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals. Doctors said some of them had sustained serious injuries to their heads, chests and other parts of the body. Inspector-in-Charge of Maynaguri Police Station Subal Chandra Ghosh told local media: "A tragic accident has taken place in the Ulladabari area.
Local residents were the first to take up the rescue work. Police and administration officials quickly reached the spot after receiving the information. The injured have been sent to hospital. It is initially believed that the bus hit a stationary trailer from behind. An investigation into the incident has been launched."
Traffic on the national highway was disrupted for some time following the accident. Police later restored normal traffic movement after removing the damaged vehicles with the help of a crane. Investigators are examining the circumstances that led to the crash, including whether driver negligence or any other factor was responsible.