Park Circus: Two teenagers riding pillion on a motorcycle without helmets died after the two-wheeler skidded on the No. 4 bridge in Park Circus on Friday night.

Akbar Ali and Omar Faruk, both 15, were taken to Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital, where Akbar was declared dead on arrival. Omar was admitted to the ICU, but he succumbed to his injuries on Saturday morning. Both were residents of Tiljala Road.

Ramzan Ali, 18, who was riding the bike, escaped with minor injuries. He, too, was not wearing a helmet, police said.

"The bike was speeding along the Park Circus bridge towards EM Bypass when it skidded near the eastern slope of the bridge around 10.45pm," an officer of Karaya police station said.

Preliminary investigation by the police suggests the vehicle was speeding.

"Wearing helmets could have saved the two from critical head injuries. Triple riding is also an offence as it makes the riders vulnerable to accidents," a senior officer in the traffic department said.

Twenty-five per cent of the accident victims in the city are motorcyclists. Of the 329 people who died in road accidents in the city last year, 81 were motorcyclists.

Speeding bikes are a common sight on city roads at night, when there are fewer traffic cops.

More than one-third of the accidents in Calcutta occur between 10pm and 6am, according to statistics available with the Lalbazar traffic guard.

"Flyovers are closed to two-wheelers after 10pm, so bikers take other alternatives," said an officer.

Some residents of Park Circus said the bridge was ill- maintained and prone to accidents. "The bridge's surface is uneven and anyone speeding is likely to meet with an accident," said an autorickshaw driver who lives near Park Circus.