Nine killed in twin mishaps in West Bengal

In two major mishaps, nine persons were killed in South 24 Parganas and Murshidabad districts of West Bengal on Friday.

Five tourists from Rajasthan, including a child and three women, were killed and seven others seriously injured when their jeep plunged into a pond at Harinbari in South 24 Parganas district while returning from Sagar islands, police said.

The jeep fell into the pond as the driver lost control while trying to save a cyclist.

The deceased, part of a 12-member group, were coming back to the city in a jeep from Kachuberia after a visit to the Kapil Muni Ashram. The injured were admitted to a local hospital.

Meanwhile four persons, three of them members of a family, were killed when a car collided head-on with a bus on NH 34 at Mehedipur in Nabagram area of Murshidabad district on Friday, police said.

The four were returning from Tarapith after offering puja when their car collided against the North Bengal State Transport Corporation bus.

While two of the occupants died on the spot, the other two succumbed on way to hospital, police said.

The family was returning to Jagaddal, in North 24 Parganas district.

First Published: Jan 27, 2007 01:45 IST