An 11-year-old girl in school uniform died while two others were injured when the e-rickshaw, in which they were travelling, was hit by a Maruti Swift Dezire (No AS17-G-5676) from the back side near Chagolia Gaon Panchayat (GP) office located on National Highway 31 under Chagolia Police Outpost of Dhubri district on Wednesday morning.
The incident took place while the girls were going to their school Chagolia Model Pre-Senior Madrassa in the e-rickshaw.
In the incident, Arifa Khatun, aged about 11 years and a student of sixth standard, who was a resident of Choto Dighaltari under Golakganj Police Station, died on the spot while two others identified as Lafika Anjuma, aged 12 years and Anicha Khatun, aged 11 years of Chagolia village under Golakganj Police Station sustained serious injuries.
Bhaskar Ojha, Deputy Superintendent of Police (HQ), Dhubri, said the body of Arifa Khatun has now been handed over to her family after post-mortem which was conducted at the Dhubri Civil Hospital while the other two injured students are under treatment at the Civil Hospital, Dhubri.
People gathered at the Chagolia Police Outpost with a motto to block the National Highway-31, but police controlled the situation, Ojha added.
Initial probe revealed that the road mishap took place near the Chagolia GP office adjacent to the school of the victims girls were studying. As soon as the e-rickshaw reached the school, the car coming from behind hit the e-rickshaw due to which it lost its balance.
The girls were thrown off the e-rickshaw and Arifa suffered grievous injuries on her neck and died on the spot, police said.
District Transport Official sources on condition of anonymity said that in Dhubri district, nearly 80 per cent of the e-rickshaws plying on the roads without any valid registered number and despite knowing the facts, the department has failed to take any action due to political influence into the matter.