Cops face mob fury after truck runs over 3 kids

A mob sets a police jeep on fire after three children were runover by a speedy truck on the Belgharia Express way on Monday. — Asian Age

Belghoria Expressway turned into a war zone on Monday morning when angry local residents fought a pitched battle with the police, torching two police vehicles and a service rifle following the deaths of three children — all from the same family — in a road accident.

A speeding truck ran over Yug Hela (7), Golu Hela (8) and Aditya Hela (11) at Mathkal area in Rabindrapally at around 9 am. The three victims’ cousin sister, Anu Hela (9), was injured. The four children were waiting at the bus stop with their relative, Sandip Hela, to reach home near Airport Gate No. 1.

They had come to their relative’s house on the occasion of Saraswati Puja last week. The local residents alleged that the truck was running towards the Kolkata Airport at an alarmingly high speed to escape a police vehicle, which was chasing it to extort money from truck driver.

Two children were killed at the spot, while two others were rushed to R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital where one of them was declared brought dead. Anu, the injured girl, was later shifted to a private hospital in Salt Lake. Chasing the truck, a furious mob stopped it and caught its driver, Tapas Adhikary, before confining him and beating him.

They also vandalised the truck and blocked the Belghoria Expressway in protest, bringing vehicular movements to a grinding halt during the peak hour along the road connecting Dakshineshwar with the Kolkata Airport, Salt Lake and Rajarhat-New Town areas.

When the cops of the Dum Dum police station reached the spot in two jeeps, the mob hurled stones on them. Leaving their vehicles the cops fled for cover. The two police jeeps were set on fire. A service rifle of a police constable, Basudeb Das, was snatched by the protesters and was thrown in the fire.

Mr Das and his colleague Kalu Ekka were also thrashed. A strong contingent of police personnel, including the Rapid Action Force, resorted to lathicharge to disperse the demonstrators.

The truck was impounded, while its driver was arrested.

Barrackpore police commissioner Niraj Kumar Singh said, “I have asked deputy commissioner of police (detective department) to conduct an inquiry and submit a report. Four police personnel, including a civic volunteer, were injured in the attack which was carried out deliberately. Some of the attackers were identified.”