Kolkata: Six people were killed and 11 others injured when a speeding truck rammed into an SUV in West Bengal’s Malda district on Thursday, police said.
The accident occurred on National Highway 34A in Malda’s Kaliachak in the wee hours as the SUV was parked on the road waiting for other vehicles of a marriage party to arrive.
“The speeding truck hit the SUV from behind causing it to topple into a roadside ditch. Three passengers were instantly killed in the accident,” police said.
According to local sources, the wedding guests were on their way from Kaliachak to Gajol in the same district to attend a marriage.
Two more persons succumbed to their injuries in the Malda Medical College and Hospital where all the victims were initially taken.
“Five persons are being treated at the Malda hospital while six others, who were critically injured, were referred to a Kolkata hospital. One of them died on the way,” police said.
The driver fled with the truck after the accident but was later arrested from Gajol.