In a shocking incident in West Bengal’s Uttar Dinajpur district, three young men lost their lives when the car they were traveling in veered off the road and plunged into a pond in Islampur area. Four others sustained injuries in the mishap, police confirmed on Tuesday.
The deceased have been identified as Surajit Das, Boni Das, and Mukund Das, all aged between 18 and 20 years. Among the injured is Atanu Shil from Nadia district, who is currently receiving treatment at Islampur Sub-Divisional Hospital along with three others.
According to reports, the seven youths worked at a motor garage owned by Subhash Karmakar in the Islampur police station area. The tragedy unfolded due to a personal rivalry: Atanu Shil and Mukund Das were reportedly in love with the same woman, leading to ongoing tensions between them.
On Monday night, Atanu was staying at a local hotel in Islampur. Later, he joined Mukund and five other friends in the garage owner’s son’s car for a drive towards Fatipukur near the Bihar border. Tensions boiled over inside the vehicle, with allegations that Atanu was assaulted by Mukund and others, sparking chaos and a scuffle.
In the ensuing pandemonium, the driver lost control, and the car crashed into a nearby pond. Local residents rushed to the scene after hearing the loud splash and managed to pull all seven occupants out. Tragically, three had already succumbed by then.
Police from Putia station in Bihar arrived promptly, and the bodies were sent for post-mortem at Kishanganj Medical Hospital. Joint investigation by Islampur police and Bihar authorities is underway to ascertain the full sequence of events and any criminal angles.
This heartbreaking accident serves as a grim reminder of how personal disputes can escalate into fatal consequences, especially when mixed with reckless driving on unfamiliar roads.