Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata

Kolkata, Oct 22: In a tragic accident near Mirik in the Darjeeling district of northern West Bengal, four people lost their lives and 16 others sustained serious injuries when an overcrowded vehicle skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge on Wednesday.

According to Abhishek Roy, Additional Superintendent of Police (Kurseong), three of the deceased were Nepali nationals, while the fourth was from Naxalbari in Darjeeling.

The ill-fated vehicle, reportedly carrying around 20 passengers, veered off the road after the driver lost control of the steering, eyewitnesses said. Three people died instantly, while a fourth succumbed to injuries after being rushed to a hospital.

Emergency response began with local residents conducting initial rescue efforts, followed by police assistance from nearby stations. The injured were taken to Naxalbari Hospital, where several remain in critical condition.

Authorities have recovered the vehicle and launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.

Locals blame the poor condition of the roads, which deteriorated further after recent floods and landslides that ravaged the hills, Terai, and Dooars regions earlier this month. Several roads, including the one where the accident occurred, remain unrepaired, increasing the risk of such tragedies.

This incident comes just a week after a similar mishap in Pankhabari, also in Darjeeling district, where two people died when another vehicle fell into a ditch.

Police have urged caution for travel in the region, especially on mountainous roads still awaiting repair.