Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata
Kolkata, Jun 23: Two women lost their lives and at least 30 others sustained injuries after a passenger bus overturned and plunged into a roadside ditch in the Arambagh area of West Bengal's Hooghly district on Tuesday, officials said.
Several of the injured are undergoing treatment at Arambagh Medical College and Hospital, with the condition of some passengers reported to be critical.
The accident occurred in the Adambandh area while the bus, carrying around 50 passengers, was travelling from Burdwan town to the Tarakeshwar temple. Preliminary investigations suggest that the driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to overturn and crash into the ditch.
Residents living nearby rushed to the scene immediately after hearing a loud impact and began rescue operations before emergency services arrived. Police teams later joined the rescue efforts and assisted in shifting the injured to the hospital.
Authorities identified the deceased as 65-year-old Lakshmi Murmu and 35-year-old Sharmila Soren, both residents of the Dhadan area in East Burdwan district. The two women were among a group of pilgrims travelling to the Tarakeshwar temple. Their bodies will be handed over to family members after post-mortem examinations.
The incident triggered public outrage, with local residents accusing the administration of failing to maintain the road and alleging that repeated appeals for repairs had gone unanswered. Tensions escalated further over the delayed arrival of an ambulance at the accident site, prompting police intervention to restore order.
Officials have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash, including the role of road conditions and the driver's loss of control.
The incident comes days after another fatal road accident in North Bengal, where four people were killed and ten others suffered serious injuries when a North Bengal State Transport Corporation bus rammed into a stationary trailer on National Highway 27 in Jalpaiguri district's Maynaguri area.