As many as 39 passengers were injured when two buses collided head-on near Rashmoni Bazar on Beleghata Main Road on Tuesday afternoon.
The injured passengers of the two buses — a state-run bus on the Dhamakhali-Sealdah route and a private one on the Salt Lake-Howrah route — were taken to NRS hospital and a nursing home.
“The collision took place around 3.30pm and the driver of the private bus managed to flee. The other driver suffered injuries and is undergoing treatment at NRS,” said a senior officer of Beleghata police station.
Eyewitnesses told police the state-run bus was headed towards Dhamakhali in North 24-Parganas from Sealdah when it collided with the private bus going towards Sealdah.
“The driver of the state bus was driving at top speed and lost control and hit the private bus,” said Jyotirmoy Mondal, a passenger on the state bus. “I injured my head. The bus driver is to be blamed for the accident. He was driving very rashly.”
Mondal was treated and discharged from hospital.
Cops said 37 passengers were treated and discharged from the two hospitals.
“After the accident, traffic along Beleghata Main Road had to be diverted for some time to facilitate the rescue operation. Several residents of the area joined hands with the police to take the injured to hospital,” the officer said. “We will conduct mechanical tests on both vehicles.”
The state bus driver’s side of the vehicle was smashed. “The driver was initially trapped between the buses but was rescued and sent to hospital,” said Piyali Chakrabarty, a resident of the area.
