Singer Swati Pal’s Hyundai Accent after the collision early on Sunday. Picture by Amit Datta

Swati Pal, the singer who was arrested in connection with the abduction of Khadim’s owner Parthapratim Roy Burman, had a narrow escape early on Sunday when the car she was travelling in collided with a van at the crossing of Raja Dinendra Street and Vivekananda Road.

The help of the van, in which an orchestra group was travelling, was killed after the vehicle skidded off the road and overturned.

Swati and her driver fled from the accident spot but later turned up at Narkeldanga police station. The driver, Samiran Biswas, has been arrested. The police are trying to trace the van driver.

The mishap occurred around 1.30am, while Swati was returning home to Baguiati in her Hyundai Accent. “The car was plying down Raja Dinendra Street. When it reached the crossing with Vivekananda Road, the van came in front of it,” said Vineet Goyal, the deputy commissioner of police (headquarters).

“The van driver slammed the brakes but it was too late. The two vehicles collided and the van overturned,” said an officer of Narkeldanga police station. “The driver’s help, Dharmendra Mahato, was declared dead on arrival when taken to NRS Medical College and Hospital.”

Swati, who was in the rear seat, escaped unhurt. “The four members of the orchestra party were injured and sent to hospital,” the officer said. “A preliminary investigation revealed that both vehicles were being driven recklessly.”