The car and the bus that had collided killing Kiski Oraon’s parents and relatives. (Anirban Choudhury)

Alipurduar, May 14: The Toppos could not believe their ears when somebody called them up to say that an accident had wiped out Andrias Oraon and his close family.

Last Friday, Pittus Toppo had fixed the marriage of his son Munna with Andrias’s daughter Kiski. Today the family was coming down to Purbo Khayerbari, where the Toppos live, to finalise the wedding.

“I had liked Kiski the moment I saw her and had selected her for my son. We had fixed today as the date when they would come to our house and finalise the marriage,” said a shocked Pittus Toppo over the phone.

Kiski’ uncle, Grantho Oraon, said from Uttar Mendabari, 27km from Alipurduar town that Kiski had bade her family goodbye around 8.30am. “Throughout the day, she was eagerly waiting for news of the date that has been fixed. She still does not know about the tragedy, but suspects that something is wrong,” said Grantho.

The Toppos had got the news at 1pm. “I could not believe my ears. My son had started wailing and banging his head on the wall. He wept inconsolably,” Pittus said.

He said Munna, a truck driver, was the eldest of his children. “He is now in a state of shock and will take time to recover. But he is insistent on marrying Kiski,” Pittus said, adding that he was worried about the girl’s future.

“What will happen when she hears that she has lost the entire family. I also do not know whether her relatives will let the wedding take place with my son. Whatever happens I will visit Kiski to share her sorrow,” said Pittus.

Grantho, who was present at the time when Andrias and his wife Behani had started for the journey, said: “I saw the vehicle was packed with people. There were 11 of them including the driver. Everybody wanted to be party of the auspicious ceremony. I had asked the driver whether he should allow so many people in the car, but he had said it would not matter,” he said.

Grantho said the only thing that was on his mind now was how to take care of Kiski when she gets to know the truth.