A total of 13 people were killed and 11 injured in two road accidents in as many districts of West Bengal on Thursday, the police said.
While seven persons died in South 24 Parganas district, six others lost their life in an accident in Malda.
Five members of a family and two others returning from the Kolkata airport were killed when their MUV fell into a roadside pond at Ucchekhali under Bishnupur police station area in South 24 Parganas, the police said.
Driver absconding
The accident occurred at around 6 a.m. after the driver lost control of the vehicle during rain. All the seven persons, including three women, died on the spot due to drowning, the police said. The driver fled after the accident.
The deceased have been identified as Akkas Ali, his wife Salina Bibi, son Altab, daughter Esmatara, brother Munnaf, and two others — Meeraj Sheikh and Fulijan Bibi.
In Malda, six persons were killed and 11 injured when a speeding lorry rammed a stationary SUV carrying wedding guests, the police said.
The accident occurred at Bakharpur under Kaliachak police station area. The SUV was waiting by the side of National Highway-34 for other vehicles going to the same wedding. The guests were on their way from Kaliachak to Gajol in the same district, Superintendent of Police Alok Rajoria said.
The SUV fell into a roadside ditch after it was hit by the lorry at around 12.30 a.m. and three of its 17 occupants were killed on the spot. Two others succumbed to their injuries in the Malda Medical College and Hospital where all the victims were initially taken.
Mr. Rajoria said six of them were later referred to a hospital in Kolkata and one died on the way. The other injured persons were under treatment at the Malda hospital. The driver fled with the lorry after the accident but was later arrested from Gajol, the SP added.
