14 members of marriage party killed in Bengal road accident

Fourteen members,including four children, of a marriage party were killed and10 others injured due to a collision between a stone-ladentruck and their three vehicles in West Bengal's Jalpaiguridistrict.

The accident occurred in Jaldhaka area in Dhupguriblock on Tuesday night, they said.

The cars of the marriage party were going towardsDhupguri on the wrong side of the road and the collision tookplace due to dense fog, a senior police officer said.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced an ex gratiaof Rs 2.5 lakh each to the next of kin of those who werekilled in the accident.

The state government will provide Rs 50,000 each tothose who were seriously injured, she said at a programme inPurulia.

Banerjee also said Rs 25,000 would be given to thosewhose injuries are not serious.

''The loss cannot be compensated. But we would like totell the families that the government is with them. We areproviding compensation to the next of kin of the deceased andthe injured persons. Our local MLA Sourav Chakraborty isalready there and state minister Aroop Biswas is rushing tothe spot,'' Banerjee said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was extremelyanguished over the road accident and announced an ex gratia ofRs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of those who lost theirlives in the incident.

He also said that Rs 50,000 each would be given tothose injured, according to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

Ten injured people are undergoing treatment inJalpaiguri Super Speciality Hospital, the police officer said.

PTI COR SUSBDC BDC