Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata

Kolkata, Oct 4: A tragic accident claimed four lives and left three others injured when a car plunged into a 50-foot-deep ditch near Kalimpong in North Bengal on Friday night, police reported Saturday.

The vehicle was traveling from Patharjhora to Gangtok in Sikkim along National Highway 10, within Kalimpong police jurisdiction, when it veered off the road and fell into a deep gorge in the Melli Kirani area.

The deceased have been identified as driver Kamal Subba (44), a woman named Sameera Subba in her twenties, and two residents of Bojojhari — Januka Dorji and Neeta Gurung.

Three others — Sunita Thapa, Sandriya Rai, and Samiul Dorji — sustained serious injuries and are currently receiving treatment at Melli Sikkim Hospital.

Locals suggest that the accident may have been caused by the glare from the headlights of an oncoming vehicle, but police continue to investigate the exact circumstances.

A senior Kalimpong police official confirmed, “An accident occurred last night where a car fell into a ditch. Four people died, and three others were injured. The injured are under treatment, and the bodies have been sent for post-mortem.”

The incident comes amid heavy rainfall that has been affecting North Bengal in recent days, worsening road conditions and causing landslides in multiple areas. The weather department has issued a red alert for Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri, expecting over 200 mm of rain, while Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Cooch Behar, and North Dinajpur remain under orange alert. Malda and South Dinajpur are currently on yellow alert.

Residents and authorities have been urged to exercise caution as more rains are forecast in the region over the coming days.