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Kolkata, October 22 (IANS) Four people were killed and 16 others were seriously injured when a vehicle loaded with passengers fell into a gorge near Mirik in Darjeeling district in the northern region of West Bengal on Wednesday. An officer gave this information.
Confirming the death toll, Additional Superintendent (Kurseang) Abhishek Roy said that of the four killed, three were residents of Nepal and one was a resident of Naxalbari in Darjeeling district.
“The families of the deceased and injured have been contacted. The car involved in the accident has also been recovered. Investigation is underway to find out why the accident occurred,” he said.
The bodies of the deceased passengers have been sent for post-mortem. Treatment of 16 injured passengers is going on in the nearby Naxalbari hospital. The condition of some of the injured is very serious.
As claimed by eyewitnesses, the vehicle carrying around 20 passengers fell into a ditch after the driver of the car lost control of the steering. While three passengers died on the spot, the fourth passenger died on the way to the hospital.
Local residents started the initial rescue operation. Later, police from the local police station reached the spot and joined the locals in the rescue operation.
The condition of the roads at the place where the accident occurred is very bad.
Locals said the road condition in the area has deteriorated following the recent floods and landslides that hit the hilly, Terai and Dooars regions of North Bengal earlier this month. Local residents said repair work on many damaged roads in the area has not yet been completed.
Last week, a vehicle carrying passengers was involved in a similar accident at Pankhabari in Darjeeling district. Two passengers died when the vehicle fell into a ditch.
–IANS
Source/PGH