Chapra, Feb. 10: Family members of the 7 victims who were mowed by a lorry on Friday night in Nadia’s Chapra on way to a religious soiree riding a Toto, today blamed the local panchayat and police for their ‘callousness’ to fill up a 25ft long ditch for laying pipeline that acted as ‘death trap’. The ditch that was dug up along the busy Krishnanagar-Karimpur road kept open for over 3days leaving huge amount of earth on the road without any caution for the drivers of the passing vehicles.
They alleged that the deadly ditch was kept open since last Wednesday evening making the road narrow with piled up earth on the road without any protection despite the local residents repeatedly requested the laborers for it.
Today when local police posted civic police volunteers around 12 hours after the accident on the spot to manage traffic, the local villagers burst out in anger accusing the police of apathy. They alleged that this precaution could be taken earlier to the lives of the 7 victims could be saved as well.
On Friday night Imran Mullick, teen-aged driver of the fateful Toto, a student of class 8, in a bid to avoid the head on collision with the errant lorry had tried for a left turn but the it over turned as wheels were locked in the heap of earth speared over the road. Imran, who started earning a living while studying since his father became incapable following a road accident, died on the spot.
Today Imran’s father Golam Mullick said: “How could the police be some apathetic about its responsibility? It neither take any action against the errant driving nor taken any measure to put a caution at the dug up stretch of the road. Had they show the alacrity yesterday which they are taking today, the innocent lives could be saved”.
Rathindra Nath Sardar, secretary of Hatisala-II gram panchayat acknowledged that it was a ‘fault’ on their part. “We were not aware that the contractor’s labour have kept the job incomplete leaving the ditch open for over 72 hours. If we were informed about it we would definitely request police to deploy a civic volunteer to manage traffic there at least during night”.
Nadia SP Sheesh Ram Jhajharia said: “I am not aware of this dug up stretch on the road, which might have led the accident. But, we can assure that all the possible reasons that led to the accident will be examined and responsible persons will be booked”.