The motorcycle lies crushed under the bus wheel, while fire licks the undercarriage of the bus. Picture by Gopal Senapati

Two youths on a motorcycle died after being hit by a state bus on Kona Expressway, in Howrah, on Wednesday night.

The motorcycle exploded and a part of the bus, too, caught fire. The 25-odd passengers on the bus escaped unhurt and the blaze was doused in half an hour.

Parimal Baksi, 24, and Subhendu Dey, 28, both residents of Howrah’s Muchipara, died on the spot.

Witnesses said the two-wheeler, headed towards Calcutta, was dashed by the Domjur-BBD Bag bus immediately after it hit the expressway.

“The bus was plying at a high speed. The driver failed to slam the brakes when the motorcycle suddenly entered the expressway from a feeder lane right in front of it,” said Sarat Ghosh, a witness.

“The two riders were flung off and the motorcycle was dragged by the bus for about 50 feet before it exploded. The bus, too, caught fire,” Ghosh added.

The driver and the conductor of the bus fled. “A hunt is on for the duo. We have launched an investigation,” said Milan Kanta Das, the additional superintendent of police.

The youths lay on the road bathed in blood. “Some local residents and a police patrol van rushed to the spot but the duo had died by then. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem,” said an officer.

The mishap created a snarl on Kona Expressway, which continued for half an hour.