6 killed, 17 injured as van falls into canal in West Bengal

The incident took place a few minutes before midnight at Bakultala, around 60km south of Kolkata, when the pickup van was heading towards Kolkata. Most of the victims were masons

At least six persons were killed and 17 injured when a pickup van, in which they were travelling, fell into a roadside canal in Baruipur, south Bengal, late Sunday night.

Representational image.

The incident took place a few minutes before midnight at Bakultala, around 60km south of Kolkata, when the pickup van was heading towards Kolkata. Most of the victims were masons.

The driver lost control of the vehicle and it first hit a lamp post and then a tree, before falling into a roadside canal. Local residents began rescue operations. Later, police reached the spot and rushed the victims to hospitals.

“Six persons were killed while 17 were injured. The injured persons have been admitted in two hospitals in South 24 Parganas and Kolkata. Condition of two to three of the injured victims is critical,” said an officer of Bakultala police station.

Police are now trying to find out whether the driver was speeding, or the vehicle developed some technical snag which could have led to the accident.