A road accident near ESI Medical College and Hospital, Joka, claimed a life early on Monday, just a day after two MBBS students of the college were killed in a road crash on Sunday morning.
Arup Mandal, 40, a resident of Maheshtala in South 24-Parganas, was riding pillion on a motorcycle to visit a relative admitted to the hospital when the crash occurred around 5.15am on Monday. Police said a truck coming from the direction of Taratala lost control while making a U-turn in front of the hospital and hit the two-wheeler.
The rider, Debashis Swarnakar, 33, and Mandal were thrown off the bike.
They were both taken to ESI hospital, where Mandal was declared dead.
Rider Swarnakar suffered multiple injuries and was later shifted to NRS hospital. The truck fled, and police have launched a search to trace the vehicle and the driver.
The incident comes a day after two third-year MBBS students, Anand Priyadarshi, 23, and Mohammad Faiaz Zaman Mallick, 23, died in an accident near James Long Sarani, not far from the college. CCTV footage showed a truck overtaking their two-wheeler from the right and hitting it from behind. The students were part of a group of six riding three motorcycles during a night out and were returning to campus around 3.30am when the crash occurred.
ESI measures
In response to the accidents, ESI hospital convened an administrative meeting on Monday. Jayanta Karmakar, deputy medical superintendent, said: “We have lost two students in a bike accident yesterday. It was decided that no student will be allowed to step out of the campus after 10pm, and they have also been asked not to ride motorcycles. Guardians have been informed of these rules.”
He said that any student found riding a motorcycle would have the matter reported to their guardian. The hospital has also requested local police to post officers at the traffic signal closest to the hospital.
