Nine people lost their lives on Friday when the vehicle they were travelling in collided head-on with a speeding truck in a tragic road accident in West Bengal’s Purulia district.
The fatal crash occurred on National Highway 18 near Namshol, within the Balarampur police station limits, as the victims were returning from a wedding ceremony, as per an India Today report.
According to police sources, the victims were travelling in a Bolero SUV, en route from Adabana village in Purulia’s Barabazar police station area to Tilaitand in the Nimdih police station area of Jharkhand, when their vehicle crashed into an oncoming truck at high speed.
The collision was so severe that the Bolero was mangled beyond recognition. Locals and emergency responders quickly rushed to the scene and took the injured to a nearby primary health centre. However, doctors declared all nine passengers dead on arrival.
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash. Preliminary reports suggest overspeeding and possible negligence as contributing factors.
The tragic incident has cast a pall of gloom over the region, particularly in the victims’ native villages, as they were returning from what was meant to be a joyous family occasion.
Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari mourned the loss of lives in the road accident. In a post on X, he said, "My heart goes out to the families of the victims who tragically lost their lives in the two consecutive horrific road accidents; yesterday in Bagnan, Howrah district and today at Balarampur, Purulia district."
A horrific collision occurred yesterday at Library More in Bagnan, Howrah, between a passenger bus and a truck. The passenger-filled bus overturned immediately. He alleged that locals initiated rescue efforts, and the police arrived later. "Two passengers died on the spot, and another succumbed to injuries in the hospital. At least 26 others were seriously injured," he wrote in the post.