One killed, 10 injured as army truck hits car, army orders probe

One person was killed and ten others sustained injuries when an army truck hit a car from behind in Siliguri town of West Bengal's Darjeeling district on Friday, police said.

Nine of the injured are being treated at the Siliguri district hospital, with another admitted at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital.

Describing the incident as "unfortunate", the defence ministry said it has convened a Court of Inquiry to investigate the cause of the accident. "The Indian Army deeply regrets the incident and has assured full cooperation with the police," said a defence ministry release.

With the car also going out of control due to the impact close to a popular shopping mall on the busy Siliguri-Burdwan road, the accident left a middle-aged cyclist dead and injured a woman and her daughter travelling in a cycle rickshaw as also two pedestrians.

Five others injured were the car passengers.

Four of the injured were women, said Additional Deputy Commissioner, Siliguri, Mrinal Majumdar.

"The Maruti knocked me down after it was hit by the truck," said one of the injured.

Following the incident, angry locals put up a road block, resulting in a traffic jam.

The defence ministry said the Bengdubi-bound army truck from Hashimara, was being driven by a civilian driver, who lost control.

"The driver tried to apply the brakes but collided with a parked car due to the heavy traffic," the ministry said.

--IANS

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