A homecoming from Delhi to Contai turned into a nightmare as five persons were killed and four others critically injured in a horrific road accident amid rain in the early hours of Thursday.
The accident occurred around 2.30am near the Irinchi bridge on the Nandakumar-Chandaneswar Road (NH116B) under Contai subdivision, when the autorickshaw with eight members of two families and the driver was hit from behind by a speeding truck.
The impact caused the three-wheeler to lose control and collide head-on with another truck approaching from the opposite direction. It was raining heavily at that time, which may have further worsened road conditions and visibility.
According to the police, six persons from two families arrived at Tamluk railway station by the Anand Vihar-Haldia Express. Their train, which was scheduled to arrive at Tamluk around 7pm on Wednesday, reached around midnight after a delay of over five hours.
The six persons were received at the station by two others. The eight hired an auto to Chalti village in Deshpran block of Contai.
The ill-fated auto was carrying nine people, including the driver.
According to police, the deceased are Sheikh Moti, 46, his daughter Munmun Khatun, 19, who had come from Delhi, and their two neighbours Fasana Bibi, 29, and Humera Bibi, 35, all residents of Chalti village. The auto driver, Sheikh Jahangir Ali, 32, a resident of Raghurampur, succumbed to injuries later at the hospital.
All five bodies were sent to Contai subdivisional hospital for autopsy.
The four critically injured passengers have been admitted to Tamralipta Medical College and Hospital. Among them, two are sisters who were working in Delhi.
A neighbour of the victims, Jubeid Ali, said: “It was a devastating accident — four people died on the spot.”
Marishda police have seized the truck responsible for the initial collision, though the driver managed to flee.
An officer from Marishda police station confirmed that five bodies were recovered from the scene and the injured were rushed to the hospital.
Investigations are on.
