S Dinajpur: 2 dead as tractor plunges into ditch due to poor visibility

BALURGHAT: Dense fog in North Bengal has thrown life out of gear with the roads becoming highly vulnerable to accidents owing to low visibility. On Tuesday night, two persons died in Gangarampur in South Dinajpur in an accident.

According to police sources, the deceased were identified as Mosakkul Islam (15) and Alamin Ali (18), both residents of Nehemba village under Gangarampur Police Station.

Local residents reported that the duo was returning home after repairing their tractor in Gangarampur when poor visibility due to heavy fog resulted in the tractor veering off the road and plunging into a ditch. Villagers rushed to rescue them but failed to save their lives. Gangarampur police arrived at the scene and used an earthmover to recover the bodies of the victims.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological department has issued a weather alert for North Bengal, including districts such as South Dinajpur, North Dinajpur, Malda, Kalimpong and Darjeeling. Visibility is predicted to drop to as low as 50 metres in some areas, with temperatures expected to fall by 2 to 4 degree Celsius over the next two days. A cold wave advisory has been issued for several districts and residents have been urged to exercise caution, especially while driving during the early morning hours. Suman Sutradhar, head of the Majhian Weather Office in South Dinajpur, said: “During the next two days, the maximum temperature is expected to range between 20°C and 22°C, while the minimum temperature will hover between 10°C and 12°C in North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur and Malda. Visibility is anticipated to remain moderate, ranging between 25 to 50 metres. Dense fog during the night is likely to reduce visibility further, prompting the need for extra caution while driving,” he stated.