Six killed as truck hits autorickshaw

All the six passengers including a married couple and the driver of a CNG-run auto rickshaw were left dead as it collided head-on with a truck yesterday morning near Kashinathpur area under Sujanagar upazila of the district. 

Police identified five of the victims as Abul Kalam, 36, the driver of the three-wheeler, Shadhon Hossain, 27, Hasina Begum, 28, Abdul Malek, 32, and Panna Khatun, 30. The last two in the list were the husband and wife while identity of a female victim is still unknown, according to police.

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The collision occurred at around 6:00am when the auto rickshaw, attempting to pass another auto rickshaw, ran into a sand-laden truck at high speed at Kashinathpur intersection.   

Kamal Hossain, chairman of Ahmedpur union parishad, said, "The three-wheeler, with five passengers on board, was headed for Kashinathpur bus stand from Ahmedpur. It smashed with a Pabna-bound speeding truck, loaded with sand, near the saw mill before reaching the Kashinathpur bus stand." 

Five of the victims including the driver of the auto rickshaw died on the spot while another victim, Panna Khatun, died after she was taken to Bera Upazila Health Complex, Tazul Huda, officer-in-charge (OC) of Aminpur Police Station, said. 

Police and fire fighters rushed to the spot and rescued the victims, Tajul said, adding that the driver of the truck had fled the scene after abandoning the truck.

Upon request of the family members, the bodies of the victims have been handed over to their relatives without autopsy, he said.