Several injured as two state buses collide head-on on temporary causeway in Birbhum

Several passengers and the drivers of two state-run buses were injured in a head-on collision on Saturday morning on a temporary causeway near the Bakreshwar Bridge on National Highway 14 in Birbhum district. The accident took place under the Sadaipur police station area, where an alternative route had been created due to ongoing renovation work on the main Bakreshwar Bridge.

Traffic movement on the main bridge has remained suspended following the start of repair work, and vehicles were being diverted through the temporary causeway beside the bridge. According to local sources, one bus from the Durgapur depot was travelling towards Berhampore, while another bus from the Suri depot was heading towards Kolkata when the collision occurred at around 6 a.m.

Eyewitnesses and local residents alleged that both buses were moving at high speed while crossing the narrow causeway. According to passengers, the Durgapur-Berhampore bus allegedly attempted to overtake another vehicle, lost control, and crashed into the oncoming bus. The impact severely damaged the front portions of both vehicles and triggered panic among passengers travelling inside the buses.

Police from Sadaipur police station reached the spot soon after receiving information about the accident and launched rescue operations with the help of local residents. The injured drivers and passengers were rescued from the buses and taken to nearby hospitals, including Suri District Hospital, for treatment. Police sources stated that the injuries sustained by both bus drivers were serious, while several passengers suffered minor to moderate injuries.