- Wednesday, March 12, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
Nine people, including eight women farm labourers, were killed on Tuesday (9) afternoon when an autorickshaw, a popular three-wheel commercial vehicle in India, collided with a government bus on National Highway-60 in Birbhum district of the eastern state of West Bengal, police sources said.
The incident took place at Mallarpur near Rampurhat when the overcrowded autorickshaw collided head-on with the South Bengal State Transport Corporation (SBSTC) bus.
Birbhum district superintendent of police Nagendra Nath Tripathi said the ill-fated women were riding the three-wheeler. The ninth victim was the vehicle’s driver.
The women were returning home from a paddy field, he said.
The bodies were taken to Arambagh hospital, where post-mortem was conducted, the police officer said.
The bus was on its way to Durgapur from Arambagh when the accident happened.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee condoled the deaths, tweeting, “My heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones. We’ll provide Rs 2 lakh (£2,082.39) to the families of the deceased. Under the Somyabothi scheme, Rs 2,000 (£21) will be provided to perform the last rites of each deceased. Special GR to be provided to families of deceased.”
Indian president Droupadi Murmu also expressed her grief on the death of nine people. “Deeply distressed to know that a road accident at Birbhum, West Bengal, claimed several lives, including of some women returning from work in fields. Condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” she tweeted.
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the family members of the deceased and Rs 50,000 (£521) for the injured.
“Anguished by the loss of lives due to a tragic accident in Birbhum district of West Bengal. Prayers with the injured,” he said.
[With agency inputs]
