KOLKATA: Four of a marriage party were killed and seven others, including the bride and groom, were seriously injured when the car they were travelling in plunged into a river in north Bengal’s kalimpong early on Saturday. Police said the incident took place when the vehicle skidded off a bridge and fell into Rungdung river and the death toll could have been more had there been more water in the river.
The deceased, all relatives and friends of Rajesh Ekka, the groom residing in Siliguri, were identified as Tilak Mondal(34), Shukla Mondal(57), Sushanta Jaidhar(38) and Sahil Sheikh(23). While Tilak and Shukla were declared dead on arrival at a local hospital, Sushanta and Jaidhar succumbed to injuries at a private healthcare unit in Siliguri. Ekka, his wife Punam and other injured, including the driver of the vehicle, are under treatment. Preliminary investigation by the police revealed the mishap probably took place because of dense fog in the Dooars area in north Bengal.