Two bus accidents were reported in the city on Monday morning, one of them killing a motorcyclist on the Park Circus Connector and injuring three others.

The second accident occurred on Howrah bridge leaving several bus passengers injured.

Police said the crash at Topsia was reported around 10am when a private bus lost control and climbed the footpath on Hughes Road near the Park Circus Connector, hitting two motorcycles and a bicycle one after the other.

Nityananda Mondal, 45, who was riding one of the motorcycles, was declared dead at Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital.

The pillion rider, the other motorbike rider and the bicyclist have been admitted
to the hospital with critical injuries.

The police said they seized all the vehicles involved in the crash, but the bus driver managed to flee.

“A search has been launched to catch the driver. The bus will undergo a mechanical test to ascertain if it was a human error or if the bus had developed any mechanical glitch,” said an officer of Topsia police station.

Howrah bridge

Earlier in the day, a state bus lost control and rammed into a Howrah bridge pillar. At least 13 passengers were injured.

“Two of the 13 passengers suffered critical injuries and have been admitted to Medical College Kolkata,” said an officer of North Port police station.

The police identified the critically injured persons as Gulab, 54, a resident of Canning Street, and Rashid Ali, 30, of APC Road. Both of them have multiple injuries.

The police said this accident was reported around 6.20am when traffic on Howrah bridge was relatively light. The consequences of the crash could have been far worse if it had happened a little later in the morning.

“The bus has been seized, and the driver has been arrested,” said an officer of the city police.