6-yr-old, autorickshaw driver among four killed in Sahibganj accident

Dumka: A six-year-old girl and three others died while five others, including three minors, were critically injured when an autorickshaw collided head-on with an oil tanker in Sahibganj district on Friday morning, around 11.

The other three deceased were the autorickshaw driver and two other passengers. The incident happened near Chhota Ranga Dand Pul More on the Barhait-Barharwa main road in the Patna block under the Ranga police station.

Sources quoting eyewitnesses said the impact of the collision was so harsh that the autorickshaw, which was travelling from Barhait to Dahujor Chowk in Barharwa, was shattered, and its debris flew in all directions. The tanker was coming from the opposite direction after unloading oil.

The deceased were identified as Samra Soren (30) from Bada Ranga village, Randni Soren (30) from Ghatiyari, Patna block, six-year-old Shanti Hembram from Dahu Jor, and autorickshaw driver Amal Kumar (20) from Athgama. The injured were Sagun Hansda (8) and Neha Murmu (8) from Dahu Jor, Bhola Saha (35) from Bara Ranga, Talamay Hembram and Baburam (8) from Athgama.

According to the sources, the victims were rushed to the Ranga community health centre (CHC) by the locals, but two of the victims were declared dead on arrival by the CHC medical officer in charge, Dr Samsul Haq, while the other were referred to nearby healthcare facilities for better treatment.

One injured person received primary treatment at Chandragoda hospital in Barhait before being shifted to AIIMS, Deoghar. Another injured woman is undergoing treatment at the sadar hospital, while the rest are being treated at Barharwa CHC, Chandragoda, and Barhait hospitals.

Enraged locals accused the Ranga CHC staff of negligence, alleging that the six-year-old child was declared dead without a proper check, and no timely oxygen or other facilities were provided, leading to additional deaths. They also vandalised the CHC and demanded better infrastructure and the immediate dismissal of the doctor there.

Barharwa SDPO Nitin Khandelwal led two police teams from Barharwa and Ranga stations to control the situation. After nearly four hours of negotiations, the villagers handed over the bodies for post-mortem.

“We assured the family members and locals that suitable action would be taken against the hospital staff if there were any negligence in treating the accident victims,” the SDPO added.