four-killed-in-car-truck-collision-on-bengal-s-nh-16

A tragic accident on National Highway 16 claimed the lives of four persons on Saturday in the Ranisarai area under Belda police station in West Midnapore district after a speeding private car, in which the victims were travelling, collided head on with a  truck coming from opposite direction.

 

According to local sources, the four victims were travelling from Belda towards Digha in a private Scorpio car at high speed. While on the Kharagpur-Baleswar stretch of NH-16, the driver allegedly lost control, causing the vehicle to swerve across lanes and crash into a lorry approaching from the Dantan direction.

 

The front section of the Scorpio was mangled beyond recognition because of the impact of the collision and all four occupants died on the spot after being crushed inside the wreckage.

 

Upon receiving information, police personnel from Belda station and officials from the National Highway Authority rushed to the scene. The crushed car had to be removed using a crane and the bodies of the victims were extricated with the help of a gas cutter due to the extensive damage.

 

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Police confirmed that all four deceased were from Asansol in West Burdwan district. The police impounded the truck involved in the collision and detained its driver as part of the preliminary investigation. The police are examining whether any traffic violations or negligence contributed to the accident.

 

An officer from Belda police station said, “It is too early to determine the exact cause of the accident. However, initial speculation suggests that the car’s driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel.”

 

Eyewitness Kavita Rana, who was present near the scene, said, “The Scorpio entered the highway from another road and suddenly collided with the lorry. The impact was so severe that none of the passengers survived.”

 

The tragic incident has cast a pall of gloom over the area and serves as a grim reminder of the dangers of speeding and fatigue on long drives. The investigation is currently underway to determine the precise sequence of events that led to the fatal collision.