A car travelling along Diamond Harbour Road entered a busy road in Thakurpukur that was dug up for laying a pipeline, and hit six pedestrians on Sunday morning, one of whom died later in the day.

The deceased was identified as Aminul Rahman, 60, a resident of Bakrahat Road. Police said the car hit Rahman, causing critical head injuries. He died in a private hospital at Alipore, police said.

The accident was reported on Sunday around 9am.

The car was intercepted and ransacked by an angry mob. The occupants of the vehicle were assaulted and handed over to the police.

The police said a stretch between Thakurpukur market and Bakhrahat Road had been dug up to lay a pipeline. Due to the work, four-wheelers were prohibited on this section, and several bus routes were changed.

However, the car breached the barrier, entered the busy stretch and went on a hitting spree, injuring one pedestrian after the other.

“A man and a woman jumped out of the car and fled. One woman and a man, who was driving the car, were inside when the car finally stopped,” said an eyewitness.

An angry mob dragged the two out of the car and handed them over to the police. The mob also damaged the car’s windscreen and the glass.

“The car was moving at 50 to 60kmph speed. How could someone drive at this speed on a stretch where construction work was on?” questioned an angry resident.

Four injured pedestrians were admitted to a private hospital on Diamond Harbour Road, while the two others were shifted to a hospital in Alipore.

“Police have seized the offending vehicle and arrested the driver. Siddhant Das, who was driving the car, was produced before in court later in the day,” said a senior officer of the South-west division of Kolkata Police.

After the death of one of the injured pedestrians, the fatal squad of the traffic police took over the investigation.

Another car crash was reported in Thakurpukur later in the day.

A private bus rammed into the rear of another vehicle waiting at a traffic signal. This crash was also reported on Diamond Harbour Road.

No one was injured, but the car was damaged.

People in the locality intercepted the bus and dragged the driver out of the vehicle. He was handed over to the police.