Tension ran high at Chingrighata crossing on EM Bypass on Saturday after two persons were killed in a road accident and two buses including a state transport bus were set on fire by an irate mob following the accident.
The deceased, identified as Biswajit Bhuniya (19) and Sanjay Murmu(19) were on bi-cycles, when they were run over by a speeding bus and died on the spot. The speeding bus had jumped a traffic signal and hit the two youths. Both of them were first year students and after the accident they were rushed to NRS hospital where they were declared brought dead.
The accident occurred at around 11 a.m. following which angry protesters staged a demonstration disrupting traffic movement on EM Bypass for three hours. Biswajit and Murmu went out to buy sweets and the accident took place when they were returning home., policr said.
Traffic on a large stretch of EM Bypass went haywire after the mob set two buses and a vehicle on fire. The commuters later said the agitators forced them to get down from the bus and then set them ablaze. Locals started throwing stones and at passing vehicles. The wind screen of a government bus on route no.
S-30 was broken and two other buses were set on fire on E.M. By-pass along with an NBSTC bus. Residents of the adjacent Shantinagar area had reportedly resorted to burning and damaging vehicles.A goods vehicle, a private bus and a private car were also damaged.
A large contingent of police rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control. Police resorted to a lathi charge after the mob threw bricks and stones at the forces. Tear gas shells were also bursted by policemen to disperse the rampaging mob. Irate mobs threw bricks and stones at policemen. It continued for more than two hours, local people said.
The mob went on the rampage after police failed to arrest the driver of the killer bus and police resorted to a lathi charge on local people instead of trying to arrest the driver, local people alleged.
Bidhannagar city police commissioner Gyanwant Singh, along with other senior police officers, went to the spot. Mr Gyanwant Singh said that police resorted to baton charge to disperse the mob. Police reinforcements were rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control, he said.
The OCs of the Pragati Maidan,Beliaghata,Phoolbagan and Narkeldanga Police Stations rushed to the spot. The DCs of ESD,SED &SSD reached the spot with a big posse of policemen.
The Bidhannagar Commissionerate mobilized a sizeable force on their part. Later,Bidhannagar (South) Police Station took the bus driver into custody.
Bidhannagar MLA Sujit Bose visited the spot to pacify the irate residents. Local people have been demanding a subway to be set up at the spot for a long time, said Mr Ajit Chowdhury, a resident of Chinrighata. Bose said that that the grievances are being looked into and a plan would be undertaken to set up a subway at the place to avoid any mishap in future. Later , compensation for the victims’ families was announced from Nabanna.