The minibus being towed away to the Kotwali police station and (right) one of the injured passengers at the Jalpaiguri district hospital. Pictures by Biplab Basak

Siliguri, Oct. 31: Two persons were killed when a minibus on the Haldibari-Jalpaiguri route turned turtle near Kashiabari, about 70km from here, this morning.

Pradip Thakur (18), a helper of the bus, died on the spot, while Arjun Sarkar (55), a resident of Haldibari, succumbed to injuries at Jalpaiguri District Hospital. Twenty-two people have been injured and six of them have been hospitalised. The rest were released after given first-aid.

The Jalpaiguri-bound minibus was carrying 30-odd passengers, about 10 extra than its capacity, and tonnes of vegetables when the driver apparently lost control of the vehicle.

“There was no traffic congestion on the road and the vehicle was going at a good speed. Suddenly, it turned on its side and crashed,” said Haren Sarkar, a resident of Haldibari who was injured. “We suspect overloading of vegetables, fruits and passengers caused the accident.”

Officials from Jalpaiguri’s Kotwali police station rescued the passengers. “The driver has fled. We have launched a hunt for him,” an official said.