West Bengal: 6 die as truck ploughs into bystanders

At least six persons were killed and seven injured, some of them critically, as a truck ploughed into bystanders on Basanti Highway in South 24 Parganas district late on Saturday night. 

A senior police officer said six died on the spot as the truck swerved to a side while driving at a high speed on the highway and mowed down those standing before the roadside stalls at around 9:15 pm. The seven injured were taken by locals to Chittaranjan National Medical College Hospital in Park Circus area of the city and the condition of some of them was stated to be critical.

West Bengal ministers Firhad Hakim Hakim, Arup Biswas and Kolkata Municipal Corporation Mayor Sovan Chatterjee were camping at the hospital to oversee treatment of the injured. The driver of the truck is absconding, the officer said.