Tragedy Strikes on School Route: Teenager Loses Life in BT Road Accident
A heartbreaking incident unfolded on Friday morning in Kolkata when a 15-year-old boy lost his life in a tragic accident at CIT crossing on BT Road. The victim, identified as Aranya Chakraborty, was on his way to school when the fatal collision occurred.
The young student, son of an employee at Cossipore Gun and Shell factory, was a class 9 student at a private English-medium school in Cossipore. Aranya was the only child of his parents, Samiran and Kasturi, making the loss even more devastating for the family.
The Fateful Morning: Sequence of Events
The accident was reported a little before 11 am at a spot located less than 500 meters from Rabindra Bharati University. According to eyewitness accounts, Aranya was following his daily routine of cycling to school from his Cossipore residence when tragedy struck near a local petrol pump on the Shyambazar-bound flank of BT Road.
The bus involved was identified as route 234 (Belgharia-Golf Green). Police authorities revealed they are investigating how the accident occurred, particularly since both the bicycle and bus were moving in the same direction.
Local witnesses and the teenager's parents presented a disturbing version of events. They claimed the bus was racing with another bus on route 230 (Kamarhati-Alipore zoo) while speeding toward Shyambazar. "The student was riding at the extreme left. He barely stopped to check what was roaring behind him when the bus on route 234 tried to overtake the other from the wrong side and hit him," stated Ramapada Banik, a local resident who witnessed the accident.
Conflicting Accounts and Immediate Aftermath
The impact of the collision was severe enough to throw the cycle in one direction and the victim in another. Meanwhile, the Shyambazar Traffic Guard offered a different perspective, suggesting that the bus was emerging from a petrol pump when it spotted another bus on the same alignment and subsequently hit the cyclist who believed he could cross before the vehicle.
Police sources indicated that the deceased teenager might have been hurrying to school after getting caught in traffic earlier. Following the collision, Aranya was initially taken to a private nursing home adjacent to the accident spot before being transferred to RG Kar Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.
Community Outrage and Police Response
The tragic incident triggered immediate public outrage, with local residents blocking BT Road in Cossipore to protest the recurring accidents and alleged negligence. Protesters questioned the traffic police's oversight, while some community members directly blamed the reckless competition among buses for endangering pedestrian lives.
A larger police contingent reached the location within 10 minutes and managed to remove the bus, eventually restoring normal traffic flow on the important arterial road.
In a concerning development, police sources disclosed that the bus driver claimed he was unaware of the school student's presence at the spot. An officer revealed, "He has been driving the bus for a considerable time. He claimed that he tried to flee from the spot with the bus for the safety of his passengers."
Authorities have promised action, with an officer stating, "We have been requesting all buses to maintain lanes and follow discipline. If required, a drive will be carried out on BT Road." The statement highlights the ongoing concerns about road safety and public transportation management in the city.
