A devastating road accident claimed the lives of nine people in the early hours of Friday on National Highway 18 near the Namshol area in West Bengal’s Purulia district. Police reports confirm that the incident occurred due to a head-on collision between a four-wheeler and a truck, resulting in the deaths of all passengers in the car.
According to police officials from Balrampur Police Station, a Bolero SUV carrying nine passengers was en route to Purulia when it lost control and crashed into an oncoming truck. The impact of the collision was severe, causing the truck to veer off the road and overturn in a nearby paddy field in an attempt to avoid the collision.
The victims were immediately rushed to the Banshgarh block health center by local residents. Tragically, doctors at the healthcare center declared all nine occupants of the car dead on arrival. The victims were reportedly returning home to Jharkhand after attending a wedding.
All the deceased hailed from the Tilaitar area under the Nimdi Police Station of Jharkhand, with one victim from Raghunathpur village and the driver from the Muru area. The names of the deceased are Vijay Mahato, Swapan Mahato, Ajay Mahato, Brihaspati Mahato, Gurupada Mahato, Shashank Mahato, Krishna Mahato, Chandramohan Mahato (from Raghunathpur) and Chittaranjan Mahato (the driver).
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Post-mortem examinations of the bodies will be conducted at Purulia Medical College.
Locals said that National Highway 18, especially the stretch falling under the Balrampur police station jurisdiction, has become a frequent site of traffic accidents— both minor and major. However, Friday morning's collision stands out due to the sheer number of fatalities and the tragic circumstances surrounding it.
Just days before this incident, a similar tragic accident occurred near the Irinchi Bridge under Heria Police Station in Purba Medinipur district. Five persons of a family lost their lives while returning home to celebrate Eid. The accident, involving a collision between a car and an auto-rickshaw, left four others injured.
Local sources reported that the victims were residents of the Chalti area under Kanthi Police Station. After traveling by train from Delhi to Haldia, they were returning home by auto when the vehicle collided with two cars late at night. The auto driver was among those who died on the spot.
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