KOLKATA: Two friends on a night out, neither of whom were wearing seat belts, died when their car rammed into a stationary truck near Belgharia police station off
BT Road
early on Monday morning. A third friend in the back seat escaped unhurt. The trio reportedly consumed alcohol throughout the night at a friend’s birthday party near Agarpara and were speeding at 90 kmph on their way back home when the accident took place.
Tumpa Das, 19, and Jhilik Dutta, 21, both residents of
Kankurgachi Road
, were out with their friend
Mohammad Farhan
, 20, a Narkeldanga resident, in an Alto. The vehicle usually plies as an app cab driven by Farhan’s brother-in-law.
Police said the trio was “heavily drunk” and Farhan initially didn’t even want to drive the car as he was feeling sick. “We suspect that his two friends forced him to drive the car to reach home as soon as possible. The car was driven recklessly by the drunken youth,” said Barrackpore police commissioner Rajesh Singh. A senior officer of Belgharia police station said neither Farhan nor Tumpa was wearing their seat belts.
The trio was rushed to
Kamarhati Sagore Dutta
hospital, where Tumpa and Farhan were declared dead on arrival and Jhilik was discharged after preliminary treatment.
On Monday evening, Jhilik told TOI that the plan was an impromptu one when Farhan called on Sunday evening and said he could manage to bring his brother-in-law’s car for a night out. The police have confirmed that Farhan sneaked the car out without his brother-in-law’s permission. Jhilik also said that Farhan had recently learnt to drive. Both Tumpa and Jhilik were Class X dropouts while Farhan was trying to become a driver.
“We were very excited while going to Agarpara. Tumpa was particularly happy and was planning a trip to Digha during Holi. Farhan had recently learnt to drive and was not very confident. He would often practice in his relative’s car,” said Jhilik, who denied that she had consumed alcohol.
“While returning, we were very tired. I dozed off as soon as I sat in the backseat. The car jerked after a few minutes and there was a loud sound. Till I last remember, I saw the rear part of the truck smash the windscreen and hit my friends. I saw their heads disappearing. Then I fell unconscious,” recounted Jhilik.
A pall of gloom descended in the Kankurgachhi neighbourhood off Manicktala Main Road. Neighbours congregated at Tumpa’s house to console her parents.
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