Alipurduar, May 14: Eleven persons were killed, six of them probably burnt alive, when a Maruti Omni collided head on with a speeding mini bus and burst into flames on the national highway at Uttar Mendabari.

The bus, too, was charred although the passengers escaped with minor injuries.

The 11 in the van were on their way to Madarihat to finalise the marriage of Kiski Oraon, the daughter of Andrias (53) and Behani (38).

Twenty-two-year old Kiski, who has not yet been told of the accident, has lost her parents, sister Nilima (12) and three aunts, Dasi Oraon (35), Krishna Tirkey (48) and Agne Oraon (45). The others who died have been identified as Karman Kujur (50), Binod Toppo (45), Rimni Oraon (34), Silitina Oraon (48) and driver Binod Suttar (25).

The family used to reside in Jaidebpur Basti, 85km from the spot of the collision.

The bus, which was reserved for passengers attending a wedding, was on its way from Banarhat to Kamakhyaguri. At Uttar Mendabari,27km from here, an eye witness said, the bus tried to avoid a cow on NH31C, but failed. The animal was mowed down and the driver lost control of the bus, which collided with the van coming from the opposite direction, dragging it for 150ft before both the vehicles fell into a ditch.

Within minutes, the van exploded and burst into flames, which soon spread to the bus. Local youths rushed to the van and could bring out five persons.

“Only two of the van’s passengers could be taken to the health centre alive, though they died later. The others died on the spot, six of them burnt alive,” said Pradeep Mochary, the eyewitness.

The passengers of the bus too were rescued by the local people who had broken open the windows and the windshield. Fire brigade from Hasimara and police from both Hasimara and Kalchini reached the spot within 20 minutes and brought out the six bodies from the van.

Sabyosachi Raman Misra, the additional superintendent of police, Alipurduar, said: “Four men and seven women have been killed. The driver of the bus and the passengers are yet to be traced.”