A deadly combination of dense winter fog and reckless speeding has plunged Kolkata into a tragic phase, resulting in a series of road accidents over the past ten days. Between the late-night and early morning hours, the city witnessed eight separate incidents, five of which claimed lives, according to police officials from Lalbazar.
Fog and Speed: A Lethal Mix on Kolkata Roads
The primary culprits behind this alarming spike in accidents have been identified as the persistent foggy weather conditions and vehicles moving at dangerously high speeds. The accidents were reported from multiple locations across the city, including Thakurpukur, Haridevpur, Alipore, West Port, Beleghata, and Bowbazar. In one specific case, overtaking from the wrong side added to the perilous conditions.
The tragic sequence reportedly began with the death of ASI Sahabuddin Biswas. He lost his life after a truck collided with his motorcycle on the Basanti Highway. The truck driver involved stated that the fog was so intense that visibility dropped to less than 50 feet, making it impossible to see the road ahead clearly.
A Grim Start to the New Year
The new year commenced on a sorrowful note with fatal truck accidents in New Alipore and Bowbazar on January 1 and 2. In both these early-January incidents, the drivers of the trucks involved told police that they failed to spot the victims in time due to the poor visibility caused by the haze.
Even technology was rendered helpless against the fog. Police cited an incident on the Bypass where a vehicle hit a 21-year-old biker, Akib Muhamad. Due to the thick haze, authorities could not identify the vehicle involved, hampering the investigation.
Police Pinpoint Speeding as Major Cause
Beyond the weather, law enforcement has squarely blamed excessive speed for several deaths. The fatalities of bikers Sandip Das in Behala and Dharmendra Sharma in Ultadanga were directly attributed to speeding by the investigating officers. This indicates that while fog was a contributing environmental factor, human error and violation of traffic rules played an equally devastating role.
The recurring theme in these incidents is the deadly synergy of natural adversity and man-made negligence. The police reports underscore a critical need for heightened caution during early morning hours in winter, stricter enforcement of speed limits, and greater awareness among drivers to adjust their driving to match the weather conditions.
