The rear wheels of a bus had crushed a mother to death on Wednesday, leaving behind her six-year-old daughter who had boarded the same bus. On Thursday, the rear wheels of another bus claimed the life of a 50-year-old man, in much the same manner.

At around 9.45 am, a luxury bus, travelling from Diamond Harbour to Esplanade, had come to a halt at the bus stop on Rani Rashmoni Avenue, near the south gate of Raj Bhavan, to let passengers off.

But as Asit Kumar Haldar was about to disembark, the vehicle started moving. The driver was trying to overtake another vehicle. Haldar lost his footing and fell to the ground. He was run over by the rear wheels of the bus.

Deputy commissioner of police (headquarters) Harmanprit Singh said Haldar, an employee of a private bank on NS Road, was on his way to work when the accident occurred.

Police said before Haldar could get off the bus properly, the driver had pressed the accelerator. “The rear wheels went over his lower abdomen and crushed his legs. He died before he could be taken to hospital,” an officer added.

In the confusion, the driver of the bus managed to flee and could not be traced till late on Wednesday, said an officer. The vehicle has been impounded.

Haldar’s death adds to the growing fatality count on city streets this year.