6 Killed, Several Injured as Minibus Falls off Flyover at Howrah Station

At least six people were killed and several others seriously injured as a minibus skidded off a flyover and dived on to the tracks of the Howrah railway station.

The horriplating accident occurred shortly after 4 pm on Saturday when the minibus skid off Bankim Setu, a flyover adjacent to the Howrah station.

The bus fell between Platforms 11 and 12, several meter below the flyover.

“The bus was trying to overtake and it slipped off the flyover as it was raining. There were many passengers in the bus,” said an eyewitness.

Due to bad weather, rescue operations were sluggish initially but all the people inside the bus have been taken out now and injured have been taken to hospital.

Howrah District Magistrate Sanghamitra Ghosh said that the bus coming to Howrah from Nazirganj collided against the railing of the flyover and plunged 40 feet below as its driver lost control over the speeding vehicle.

According to her, nearly 12 passengers were seriously injured in the mishap. Earlier, the police had said that 10 persons were feared killed in the accident and the injured were rushed to hospital. A medical team and senior officers were rushed to the spot.

As a precautionary measure, the railway authorities switched off high tension power supply to platforms 10 to 23 while only the down Himgiri Express was allowed to enter platform number 18.

However, local train services from platforms number one to five were unaffected.