Siliguri: One died and 12 others pilgrims were injured when a pickup van carrying them on their way to Mahakumbh Mela in Prayagraj collided head-on with a truck travelling in the opposite direction. The accident occurred on Monday morning, in the Schooldangi area, adjacent to Satbhaiya in Naxalbari.
The deceased has been identified as Niranjan Sarkar (35 years), a resident of Assam. Eyewitnesses said that the pickup van was travelling from Assam with a total of 13 passengers, including the driver. The truck, coming from the opposite direction, hit the pickup van, which was severely damaged in the accident.
The other 12 pilgrims sustained injuries in the crash and were initially taken to Naxalbari Rural Hospital and later transferred to the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital for further treatment. On the same day, another road mishap occurred where Shubhajit Ghosh, a resident of Shiv Mandir, was injured when a bus travelling from Siliguri to Panitanki collided with his car. Ghosh was returning from Maha Kumbh Mela when the crash occurred.
With assistance from the traffic police and locals, Ghosh was able to contact his family and receive initial medical care at a nearby hospital. The drivers of both the truck and bus are absconding. Police have started an investigation.