Family Tragedy on Haldia Highway: Three Dead, Four Critical in Devastating Collision
A heartbreaking road accident has claimed the lives of three members of a single family and left four others fighting for their lives in critical condition. The tragic incident occurred on Saturday morning along the Balughata-Chaitanyapur state highway in East Midnapore district, sending shockwaves through the local community.
Details of the Fatal Collision
The devastating accident unfolded at approximately 10:45 AM near Ghosher More when a motorcycle carrying a family of three collided head-on with a speeding bus. According to eyewitness accounts and preliminary police investigations, the motorcycle appeared to lose control and veered onto the wrong side of the road. The bus driver, traveling at high speed from the opposite direction toward Kukrahati, was unable to maneuver in time to avoid the collision.
The impact was catastrophic - the bus rammed directly into the motorcycle before crashing into the protective railings flanking the highway. The force of the collision was so severe that it completely collapsed the front cabin of the bus, trapping the driver behind the steering wheel.
Victims Identified and Rescue Efforts
The deceased family members have been identified as Arup Mondal (52), his wife Pratima (45), and their 13-year-old daughter Sujita. The family resided in Krishnanagar village under the jurisdiction of Sutahata police station and were traveling toward Brajalalchak on their motorcycle at the time of the accident.
Srikrishna Adhikari, a local resident who was among the first responders at the scene, described the harrowing aftermath. "The sound of the crash was deafening," he recounted. "We found the family members lying in a pool of blood. The bus driver was completely pinned behind the steering wheel as the front cabin had collapsed. We had to call in a crane to pry the metal apart and rescue him."
Medical Consequences and Police Investigation
The three family members were declared dead upon arrival at a nearby hospital. Several passengers traveling on the bus sustained injuries in the collision, with at least four of them reported to be in "extremely critical" condition and receiving intensive medical care.
Local authorities have seized the bus involved in the accident and initiated a thorough investigation into the circumstances that led to this tragedy. Traffic along the state highway was severely disrupted for nearly two hours as emergency services worked at the scene.
This devastating incident highlights the ongoing concerns about road safety on state highways and serves as a tragic reminder of the consequences of speeding and loss of vehicle control. The community of Haldia mourns the loss of three lives from a single family while praying for the recovery of those critically injured.
