6 killed as bus collides head-on with auto-rickshaw in Sherpur

Six people, including an auto-rickshaw driver, lost their lives in a head-on collision between a passenger bus and a CNG-run auto-rickshaw in Sherpur.

The accident occurred around 12:15 pm today, Sunday, on the Sherpur-Dhaka regional highway near the Bhatshala Jora Pump area in Sadar Upazila, police and several witnesses told Prothom Alo.

The identities of five victims have been confirmed. They are Lokman Hossain, 38, the auto-rickshaw driver and son of Abdus Samad from Kamaria village in Sadar Upazila; retired teacher Md. Mokhlesur Rahman, 78, and his wife Umme Kulsum, 70, from Alinapara village in the same upazila; and siblings Md. Kamruzzaman, 23, and Maisa Tasnim Mim, 21, from Kingkarpur village in Ganapaddi Union, Nakla Upazila.

The police and several witnesses said five passengers of the auto-rickshaw died on the spot. Local people rescued a critically injured woman and took her to district sadar hospital, where the physician declared her dead on arrival.

The police have seized the bus but the driver managed to flee the spot.

Hossain Ali, a witness of the incident, told Prothom Alo that the accident took place when one of the vehicles tried to save a dog that was crossing the road, leaving five people dead on the spot.

Confirming the number of deaths, Sherpur police super Md Amirul Islam said they have been taking legal actions in this regard.