Special Correspondent
Silchar: In a major highway accident this morning at Makaibhanga near the border town of Karimganj, 3 persons died on the spot while 35 others were injured, some seriously. According to eye witness accounts and CCTV footage, the accident was the result of rash and reckless driving. Two Traveller mini passenger buses coming from Silchar and moving towards Karimganj town tried to overtake each other and in the process, both collided sideways and in no moment turned-turtle and rolled down into the roadside pond. A cyclist identified as Sitangsu Sharma of Sarpur village, who was peddling along the highway 6 came in the spate of colliding vehicles and was badly injured. Subsequently, he succumbed to his injuries, his cycle totally mangled.
The two deceased were the passengers of the minibusses who have been identified as Ajoy Bhusan Dhar and Harish Chandra Dutta Chowdhury of Karimganj town. Hearing the loud sound of thud and bang, people of the area immediately rushed to the accident site in large number and extended helping hands to rescue the trapped passengers inside. One of the vehicles turned upside down was lifted up in the water by the crowd. The cries for help from the trapped passengers rent the air.
Soon, the police and NDRF teams arrived with a crane and pulled both the vehicles from the pool of water. 22 seriously injured passengers were rushed to Silchar Medical College and Hospital and civil hospital of Karimganj. Despite cautionary messages along the highway to drivers not to drive in high speed, most of them defy traffic rules and put the lives of passengers to risk. They take advantage of the laxity of motor vehicle authority and the cumbersome legal course of action.