Two passengers of an auto-rickshaw, including a child, were killed after being hit by a Detective Branch (DB) police vehicle in Panchagarh. Three others were injured in the incident.
The accident occurred on Friday evening in front of the Maitri Tea Factory on the Panchagarh-Banglabandha highway.
The deceased have been identified as Yasin Ali, 7, son of Abdus Salam from Jagdal Goalpra area of Sadar upazila, and Mohammad Ali, 55, from Jagdal Baliadangi area.
According to locals, the victims were traveling by auto-rickshaw from Panchagarh town toward Jagdal Bazar. As they reached the front of the Maitri Tea Factory in the Helipad area, a DB police microbus coming from the opposite direction attempted to overtake a truck and collided with the auto-rickshaw. All five passengers in the auto-rickshaw were seriously injured.
Locals rushed them to Panchagarh Modern Sadar Hospital, where doctors declared Yasin and Ahmad Ali dead. Shariful, the driver, was later referred to Rangpur Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment. Sadekul and Priya are currently receiving treatment at the Sadar hospital.
Following the accident, angry locals detained both the microbus and the truck, blocking the highway for nearly an hour. Police later arrived at the scene and brought the situation under control.
Officer-in-Charge of Panchagarh Sadar Police Station, Abdullah Hil Zaman, said: “We quickly reached the spot upon receiving the news. It has been confirmed that two people have died. Primary information is being collected, and legal action will be taken.”