15 die in West Bengal accident as SUV collides with truck

Kolkata: At least 15 people were killed early on Tuesday when a vehicle carrying them collided with a truck in West Bengal's Malda district, police said.

The accident took place in the Eight Mile area of the Malda town when a sports utility vehicle collided head on with a speeding truck.

"The SUV was carrying 16 people, including a child, and was going towards Raiganj probably from a marriage when it hit a speeding truck. While 13 people died on the spot, two others later died in a hospital," said a police officer.

The fate of the 16th passenger is not known.

State Tourism Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Krishnendu Narayan Chowdhury said: "The government has announced paying Rs.2 lakh to the families of the dead and also bear the medical expenses of the injured."