In a tragic incident coming out of West Bengal, a truck ran over and killed a seven-year-old child in Kolkatas Behala area in the early morning of Friday. The incident caused a massive outpouring of anger from the local residents, which turned violent and led to acts of arson against the police.The victim, a Barisha High School student named Souranil Sarkar, died on sport as a result of being struck by a speeding truck at the busy intersection near the Behala Chowrasta junction. The father of the deceased was also severely injured and has been hospitalised.According to local sources, the incident occurred around 6:00 AM when Souranil was on his way to school with his father. As they were cycling through the chaotic intersection, a corporation truck carrying soil hit the child, leading to his instant demise. The injured father was rescued from the place by locals and rushed to the SSKM Trauma Care Centre for treatment.Protesters refuse to hand over body, resort to vandalism, stone pelting over Kolkata copsThis tragic event has stirred considerable unrest among the local residents, who accused the local authorities of carelessness and negligence in dealing with traffic infractions. The protests soon turned violent, leading to the ignition of a police vehicle and a bike. Numerous buses were also reportedly vandalised.Massive commotion in Kolkata this morning after a school student died in a road accident in Behala area. The students father was seriously injured in the accident, which happened at nearly 7.30 am.#Kolkata #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/AyOxnjdKqM— Vani Mehrotra (@vani_mehrotra) August 4, 2023The protesters refused to hand over the dead body of the Class 2 student. The crowds agitation prompted the police to fire tear gas shells at the protesters. In an attempt to regain control of the situation, the police deployed Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel to quell the unrest. However, tensions remained high, and clashes ensued between the police and protesters.Behala ## Vehicles set ablaze by the angry locals after a child died in a road accident at Behala Chowrasta.A child was crushed to death by the loaded truck while he was going to the school with his father this morning. pic.twitter.com/7FuBknsqUL— Syeda Shabana (@ShabanaANI2) August 4, 2023Protesters have also resorted to stone-pelting, which has resulted in a few police personnel suffering light injuries. The police retorted by charging the protesters with batons, which has resulted in several protesters getting hurt, as per reports by news outlet Aaj Tak.Due to the protests, Diamond Harbour Road had been at a standstill for nearly two-and-a-half hours. Residents have alleged that despite the residents catching the truck driver and handing him over to the police, the driver was let go by the authorities.Efforts are being made to restore normalcy to the area, with police attempting to redirect traffic and normalise the situation. The presence of the RAF has been intensified to deter any new outbreaks of agitation.The body of the deceased student was taken by the authorities after the riots were quelled. Fire engines have been deployed to control the fires that have been set on police vehicles.Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has sought a report on the tragic incident from Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal.“The traffic police were present at the spot when the accident took place. We will launch a detailed investigation, which will also ascertain whether there was any lapse,” Goyal told local reporters.
