Fatal head-on collision in Purulia: 9 killed on NH-18

Tragic road accident under wet conditions and driver fatigue claims lives of travelers returning from a West Bengal wedding

Kolkata: Nine residents of Jharkhand lost their lives in a fatal road accident in Purulia district of West Bengal on Friday morning. The incident occurred on the Purulia-Jamshedpur National Highway Number 18 when a passenger vehicle carrying the nine passengers collided head-on with an oncoming trailer-truck coming from the opposite direction.

Authorities suspect that the driver of the passenger vehicle fell asleep at the wheel, contributing to the serious collision. Eyewitnesses reported that the impact caused the vehicle’s front end to crumple, trapping some passengers inside. Constant rainfall since Thursday had left the roads wet, which may have played a role in the mishap.

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The passengers had been traveling to the Barabazar area in Purulia district to attend a marriage function on Thursday and were returning to their home in Nimdih, Jharkhand on Friday morning. As the vehicle reached the National Highway under the Balarampur Police station jurisdiction, the head-on collision occurred.

Local villagers immediately sprang into action, initiating rescue operations by helping to extract those trapped and recovering the bodies from the vehicle. A significant police contingent later joined the rescue efforts. The injured were swiftly shifted to the local Primary Health Centre, where the doctor declared all nine passengers dead. The bodies have now been sent for post-mortem examination.

In the aftermath, the police seized the truck involved in the collision. However, the driver and helper of the truck run away. Although there was temporary traffic congestion on the National Highway following the accident, normal traffic flow resumed once the damaged passenger vehicle was removed.

The identities of the deceased have not yet been released by the police, with the district Superintendent of Police in Purulia confirming that all nine victims were residents of Jharkhand.