18 die during funeral procession in Bengal
KOLKATA: At least 18 people were killed during a funeral procession when a vehicle carrying the remains of the deceased rammed into a stationary truck in West Bengal’s Nadia district early on Sunday, a police officer said.
The victims included six women and a child, he said. Top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, have condoled the loss of lives.
A mini truck, carrying over 35 people and the bier, hit another stone-laden truck parked on one side of a state highway in Hanskhali around 3 am, killing 12 on the spot, the officer explained.
Six others succumbed to their injuries on the way to the hospital or during treatment.
Local people and the police shifted the injured to Shaktinagar General Hospital, where doctors, after examining their condition, referred the critical ones to another medical institution in Krishnanagar.
According to the police officer, low visibility due to fog may have led to the accident.
One of those injured said he and others were heading to Nabadwip cremation ground from Chakdah when the accident took place.
PM Modi, taking to Twitter, said, “Extremely pained by the loss of lives due to a road accident in Nadia, West Bengal. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover at the earliest.” Shah, too, prayed for strength and well-being of the grieving families.
“I express my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this. May God give them the strength to bear this grief. I wish the injured a speedy recovery,” he tweeted.
West Bengal chief minister Mamta Banerjee, on her part, promised to “provide necessary assistance to the families” of the victims.
“Heartbroken to hear about the road accident in Nadia. I offer my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and pray for the speedy recovery of those who were injured. May God give them the strength to get past this difficult time,” she wrote on the microblogging platform.
Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar stressed on promotion of road safety measures.
“Deeply pained at reported death of 18 people and 5 others injured in Nadia District after the vehicle they were travelling in collided with a truck parked on the side of road. Expect all efforts @MamataOfficial to the family of deceased and injured. Need to promote Road Safety,” he said.