Two Passengers Allegedly Thrown from Moving Bus and Killed in Taraganj, Driver and Supervisor Detained

Two passengers were allegedly kicked off a moving bus and killed in Taraganj, Rangpur. The incident took place around 8 am on Sunday at Jigatala in Taraganj on the Rangpur-Dinajpur highway. After the incident, an angry crowd blocked the highway and staged a protest.

The two passengers who lost their lives are Mukul Islam (28), son of Kalu Mia of Bosuniapara in Charaikhola Union of Nilphamari Sadar upazila, and Shakib Bosunia (22), son of Lokman Bosunia of the same area.

Shakil Bosunia, elder brother of the deceased Shakib Bosunia, said that a total of six people from the area, including his younger brother, were returning home from the Moynamoti cantonment area of Cumilla on a Saymon Exclusive Paribahan bus. Their uncle Atik was carrying three lakh taka.

According to Shakil Bosunia, after the bus crossed Taraganj, all the other passengers were dropped off and Atik was taken hostage. When Mukul and Shakib stepped forward to rescue him, both were kicked and pushed off the moving bus.

Describing the incident, bus passenger Atik Islam said, 'Because I had money with me, I was not let off the bus. The bus helper and supervisor held me hostage and wrapped a gamchha (cloth) around my neck. When Mukul and Shakib came forward to save me, they were kicked off the moving bus. When I screamed, the passengers of a microbus saw the matter and informed local people. Local people then stopped the bus. If the bus had not been stopped, I too would have been thrown off.'

According to Atik Islam, local residents together with the passengers of the microbus stopped the bus at Chikli area.

Taraganj Fire Service sources said that on receiving the news around 8 am, a fire service team reached the Jigatala area. Of the two people lying beside the road, one died on the spot. The other was rescued and taken to hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Monabbor Hossain described the incident as extremely sad and said the bus driver and supervisor have been detained and taken into police custody over the incident.