A Kolkata road accident near the Urban Crossing on the Choubaga Road–Anandapur Road junction killed a motorcyclist and left another rider critically injured early on Saturday, while a separate crash near the Kanksa underpass in Durgapur killed two people and injured two others during the festive period.
According to a report by Sangbad Pratidin citing police sources, the Kolkata collision took place at about 4.20 am. The motorcycle was travelling from south to north along Choubaga Road with two people on board when a four-wheeler approached from west to east along Anandapur Road. The vehicles collided near the junction as they turned.
The two motorcycle riders were thrown onto the road. Pratyush Panai, 30, suffered severe head injuries and was taken to NRS Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. The second rider, Prasun Kumar, 27, was taken to Ruby Hospital for treatment. He is identified in the report as a resident of Gandhinagar in Jharkhand’s Godda district.
The driver of the four-wheeler allegedly abandoned the vehicle and fled the location after the collision. Police have started an investigation into the crash. The report does not provide details of any arrest, the condition of the abandoned vehicle or whether investigators have established the circumstances that led to the collision.
The second fatal crash occurred on the night of Shashti near the Kanksa underpass in Durgapur. Four people were travelling on a motorcycle along National Highway 19 when the motorcycle collided with a truck. Two of the riders were trapped under the truck’s wheels and died.
The deceased were identified as Sheikh Majibur Hossain, 17, and Sheikh Sajid, 21. Both were residents of Hat Tala in Kanksa. The two other motorcycle occupants were taken to hospital and were reported to be in critical condition.
Police have begun investigating the Durgapur crash as well. The report does not specify whether the truck driver was detained or whether a case has been registered in connection with either incident. It also does not establish whether the motorcycle in Durgapur was carrying more occupants than permitted under road rules; it only states that four people were travelling on it.
The two incidents occurred during the Puja season, when police advised motorists, particularly motorcycle riders, to exercise caution. The investigations in both cases are expected to establish the sequence of events, responsibility for the collisions and the circumstances surrounding the deaths and injuries.
