2 boys killed under tree being felled

Two school boys were killed and another injured on their way home from school when a tree being chopped down fell on them in Pabna's Sujanagar upazila Monday afternoon.

The victims Kishan Haldar, 7, a student of class-1, his cousin Rupom Haldar, 8, a student of class-II, and another cousin Shimul Hader were from Vobanipur village and all three went to Sujanagar Govt Model Primary School.

A construction firm working for Sujanagar municipality were chopping down roadside trees.

Officer-in-Charge Shariful Islam of Sujanagar Police Station said locals rushed to the spot and rescued the victims. The boys were first taken to Sujanagar Upazila Health Complex where Kishan succumbed to his injuries. Rupom and Shimul were then transferred to Pabna General Hospital but Rupom's condition turned critical and doctors referred both boys to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. Rupom died on the way to Rajshahi around 7:00pm, the OC said.

The bodies were handed over to their families without postmortem as per the families' request, the OC said.

Uncle of the victims Bipul Haldar filed a case with Sujanagar Police Station accusing four people, contractor Mamun Rahman, of sheer negligence in duty.

The accused are on the run, police said.

Talked to The Daily Star, Abdul Wahab, mayor of Sujanagar Municipality, said, “We are investigating the incident. If the construction workers are found guilty we will take departmental steps against them.”