A Kanksa crash on National Highway 19 in West Bengal’s Rajbandh area killed one person and left four others critically injured after a small passenger vehicle collided with a sand-laden tractor early on Thursday, according to police and local sources cited by Sangbad Pratidin – Bengal.
The collision took place while the passenger vehicle was travelling from Bardhaman towards Durgapur. The tractor was reportedly moving in the same direction when the smaller vehicle hit its rear. Local residents claimed that the passenger vehicle was travelling at high speed, but police are investigating the circumstances of the crash.
The impact severely damaged the passenger vehicle. The tractor overturned on the highway, while its driver was thrown onto the road and suffered serious injuries. Residents who heard the sound of the collision reached the site and began assisting those injured before informing the police.
Kanksa police arrived at the Rajbandh location and helped rescue the injured. They were taken to a private hospital in the Rajbandh area, where one young man died while undergoing treatment. Four others remain under treatment in critical condition, according to the report.
The crash temporarily disrupted traffic on National Highway 19. Police removed the vehicles involved and restored normal movement on the road. The incident also brought attention to the risks created by high-speed traffic and heavy vehicles operating on a major highway, although investigators have not yet established the cause.
Police are examining whether the passenger vehicle’s driver or drivers were under the influence of alcohol. Investigators are also checking the possibility of a mechanical fault. The inquiry will determine how the collision occurred and whether any violation of road-safety rules contributed to the fatal crash.
