All six occupants of a passenger van died in a collision with a bus on West Bengal’s Krishnanagar-Karimpur highway, near Mahishbathan-Kathalia in Nadia district, on Tuesday morning.

The accident, which occurred around 7:30 am, involved a van carrying passengers from the Najirpur area of Nadia district to Digha in Purba Medinipur and a bus traveling in the opposite direction with its own passengers.

The force of the impact caused the van to crumple, trapping the deceased within the wreckage. The bus driver reportedly lost control after the collision and crashed into a roadside tree, resulting in injuries to some of the bus passengers.

Residents were the first to respond, initiating rescue efforts. Police arrived at the scene, eventually managing to extricate the bodies, which were then sent for post-mortem examination.

“Sadly, all the van passengers had already succumbed to their injuries. The injured bus passengers are currently receiving medical treatment at the Karimpur Rural Hospital,” said an official.

Police are yet to disclose the identities of the deceased.