March 26th, 2007
Kolkata: Reckless driving killed one and left 12 injured on Sunday morning. Three of the injured are said to be in critical condition.
The first accident happened around 7.45 am, in front of Birla Planetarium when a minibus, rushing madly to overtake another, skidded and fell sideways. Police said that two Naktala-Howrah route minibuses were speeding towards Dharmatala. As one took a sharp turn in front of Birla Planetarium, its driver lost control and the bus flipped over sideways.
Thirtyfive-year-old Rajanikant Mohta’s right leg was trapped under the bus. He was badly injured and was admitted to SSKM hospital in critical condition.
There were around 15 passengers inside the bus, eight were injured. The bus driver fled.
The second accident took place at Tiljala around 10.30 am. A speeding motorcycle collided head-on with a Matador van near the Basanti Expressway and EM Bypass crossing, leading to the death of the bike rider. Two other pillion riders were hospitalised. “The three youths, riding the motorcycle, were on their way to a soccer match at Choubaga. Driving at high speed they took a sharp turn, to be knocked down by the matador coming from the opposite direction,” said Mohmmad Mushtaque, a local resident.
The Matador driver tried his best to avoid collision but he failed.
The 23-year-old motorcycle driver, Ganesh Munda, died on the spot. He was a resident of Kacharipara, Dhapa. The injured pillion riders were identified as Laltu Das(22) of Mathurbabu Lane and Suresh. Laltu is now admitted to Chittaranjan National Medical College and Hospital while Suresh was taken to a private hospital. The driver of the matador van was also injured and is under treatment.
It is illegal for three persons to ride on a motorbike.
While locals alleged that there was no police personnel to man the traffic at the spot, police blamed it on reckless driving.
In an accident in Bantala, South 24-Parganas, a 27-yearold man was crushed by a van on Sunday. Ganesh Mondol was on a bicycle when a speeding Matador knocked him down from behind and ran him over. He died on the spot. Three others were injured in the road accident.
Source: TOI(Kolkata-epaper)
February 5th, 2007
Kolkata: Reckless driving claimed three lives, including that of a student of La Martinere school, on Sunday morning. One person has been admitted to SSKM Hospital with serious injuries.
Udvab Poddar (17) was going to his school in a Tata Indica, driven by his classmate. He was to participate in the school marathon.
“The car was travelling at a high speed. It careened out of control near Calcutta Cricket and Football Club (CCFC) ground on Sayed Amir Ali Avenue. The car overturned while trying to avoid ramming into a median divider,” said a fatal section officer of the traffic department. Though all other passengers received minor injuries, Udvab, who was in the rear seat, received maximum injuries in his head. “With the help of some local people, Udvab was first taken to Belle View Hospital. But in the absence of required medical equipment, he had to be removed to a private hospital in Dhakuria. There, Udvab succumbed to his injuries in the afternoon,” said an investigator.
Principal of La Martinere for Boys Sunirmal Chakraborty was shocked. “I have two versions of the story— one, a driver was at the wheel. The other version was that one of the students was driving the car. If that is true, then it is a matter of great concern. None of our students can hold a valid licence as all of them are below 18. I have taken it very seriously and would address the issue at Monday’s assembly.”
An equally worried deputy commissioner (traffic) Jawed Shamim said, “Our focus on road safety week is to make people aware of rash and negligent driving. Young people indulge in rash driving as they associate it with machismo. Certain movies and advertisements, which reinforce such behaviour, should be banned.” The DC (traffic) has already instructed his officers to take stringent action in such cases.
In another incident, two youths riding a motorcycle were killed after a collision with a truck. Police said no one was wearing helmet. All three — the motorcyclist and his two pillion-riders — are residents of Garden Reach. Police said the motorcyclist was going from east to west at high speed. Visibility was very low due to fog. The truck was coming from Alipore. After crossing Alipore’s Zeerut bridge, as the truck took a right turn, it dashed against the motorcycle. Two suffered serious head injuries. One of them died before he could be removed to the hospital. The other succumbed to his injuries at SSKM Hospital.
Source: TOI(Kolkata-epaper)
