Kolkata, Nov 12 (PTI) A class 3 student was killed and two others were injured as their scooter was hit by a speeding bus in Salt Lake near Kolkata on Tuesday, police said.
The accident, which happened around 11.30 am, sparked a huge protest by locals. They blocked a road resulting in a major traffic jam in and around the Salt Lake, and the adjoining EM Bypass.
Two children were returning home from school with their mother on the scooter when the accident happened, a police officer said.
"All three fell from the scooter and were injured. One of the two children was declared dead when taken to the hospital," he said.
Expressing shock over the tragedy, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee directed Transport Minister Snehasis Chakraborty to convene an urgent meeting with bus operators.
Chakraborty told PTI that the meeting will take place at Nagar Unnayan Bhavan in Salt Lake on November 14.
Besides organisations representing bus owners and drivers and conductors, the meeting will be attended by Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim and senior police officers, he said.
"Amid her visit to the Darjeeling Hills, the CM immediately called me after hearing about the accident. She is shocked by the death of the child. She asked me to convene the meeting to reiterate the state's firm stance on the issue of rash driving," he said.
Chakraborty said murder cases must be filed against drivers involved in such accidents.
"Rash driving by buses to get more passengers will not be allowed," he said.
Chakraborty claimed that in road safety, Kolkata is the number one city in the county with the 'Safe Drive Save Life' campaign giving great results.
"Still we must target to achieve zero fatality in road accidents," he said.