2 killed, woman injured as former TMC MLA's SUV collides with e-rickshaw in Bengal

A man and his elder-sister died, while his wife was injured after an electric-rickshaw, they were travelling in, was hit by an SUV belonging to Sukumar Mahata, former MLA of All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district on Wednesday, police said.

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Mahata was not present in the SUV when the accident took place, police said, adding that the driver fled after the incident.

“Two persons Mujibar Rahaman, 47 and his elder-sister Mahima Bibi, 50 were killed in the accident. Rahaman’s wife was seriously injured and was referred to a hospital in Kolkata. The SUV’s driver is absconding,” said an officer.

The accident took place around 12 noon when Rahaman, an electric-rickshaw driver was driving his vehicle. His wife, their 14-year-old daughter and his elder sister were sitting at the back. Mahata’s vehicle came from the opposite direction and collided head on with the electric rickshaw. Both the vehicles fell into a roadside waterbody, police said.

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Local residents rushed to the spot and rescued the victims, police said. They were taken to the hospital where Rahaman and his sister were declared dead. His wife was referred to a hospital in Kolkata, while the couple’s daughter was treated and discharged.

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“I was at school. I called up the driver and asked him to bring the vehicle from my residence to the school, as I was supposed to go the doctor’s chamber. The accident took place around 10-12 km from my residence. It is very unfortunate. Durga Puja has just started and the family suffered this huge loss,” Mahata, who is a teacher and a former AITC MLA from Sandeshkhali, told HT.