A devastating road accident turned Basanti Highway into a scene of carnage on Wednesday morning in North 24 Parganas. Three people lost their lives and at least 10 others were critically injured following a head-on collision between a speeding private car and a passenger-laden auto-rickshaw near the Minakhan Gram Panchayat office.

The accident occurred around 7:00 AM when the auto, traveling from Malancha towards Kolkata, was struck by a vehicle coming from the opposite direction. Witnesses described a bone-chilling impact that left the auto-rickshaw completely mangled. Two passengers died on the spot, while a third succumbed to injuries on the way to the hospital.

Minakhan Police and Central Force personnel stationed nearby immediately initiated rescue operations. Due to their deteriorating conditions, the injured were shifted from Minakhan Rural Hospital to specialized facilities in Kolkata. ISF candidate Pratik Mondal visited the grieving families and expressed outrage over the lack of speed monitoring on the highway. Police have seized both vehicles and launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.