Kolkata, May 29 || At least five people were killed and four others severely injured in a road accident at Contai in West Bengal's East Midnapore district on Thursday.
They were all travelling by auto-rickshaw from Tamluk Railway Station to their respective residences in Contai in the morning. As the auto-rickshaw reached a bridge under Marishda Police Station, East Midnapore district, a speeding truck hit it from behind.
The auto-rickshaw overturned and was hit again by another speeding truck coming from the opposite direction. Because of the impacts of the two successive collisions, the auto-rickshaw crumpled totally, and the passengers travelling in it got stuck inside.
The local people started the initial rescue work, and were later joined by the personnel from the local Marishda Police Station.
After a lot of effort, the bodies of the passengers were brought out from the mangled auto-rickshaw. By then, five passengers, including the driver of the auto-rickshaw, had died. Four others, who were severely injured in the accident, are currently undergoing treatment at Tamralipta Medical College and Hospital. The condition of the two of them is extremely critical, said the officials.