The driver of a battery operated autorickshaw was killed and four college student passengers of the autorickshaw were injured when they were hit by a truck in Naogaon’s Sapahar. The accident took place at Godownpara of the upazila on Tuesday afternoon.
The deceased auto driver Siddique Islam (45) is the son of deceased Abdus Samad of Chakarghu village in Bangram of Patnitala upazila of the district. He earned his livelihood by driving battery-powered auto-rickshaws. The injured students are residents of different villages of Sapahar and Patnitala upazilas.
The injured college students are Ayesha Khatun, daughter of the deceased Siddique, her daughter’s classmates Neetu Khatun, Sumaiya Khatun and Meshkat Jahan. They are students of Sapahar Women’s Degree College. The injured were rescued and admitted to a local hospital.
According to police and locals, Siddiq was returning home from college with his daughter Ayesha and her classmates. When his autorickshaw reached Godownpara junction, it collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction. The rickshaw overturned and the students along with the driver fell on the road and were seriously injured. Sapahar Fire Service and Civil Defense members who were near the spot and locals quickly rescued the injured and took them to the local health complex. The doctor on duty there declared the driver Siddique dead.
Sapahar police station officer-in-charge (OC) Humayon Kabir said that the truck driver fled after the accident, but the truck was seized from the spot and taken into police custody. The OC also said that preparations are underway to file a case at the police station.
