Six killed as autorickshaw, pickup collide

Six people in a CNG-run autorickshaw were killed after a pickup collided head on with the vehicle on the Rangamati-Chattogram highway in Rangamati's Kawkhali yesterday morning.

The victims are Md Abu Taher, 50, of Raozan upazila in Chattogram; Mahabubur Rahman, 50, of Hathahazari upazila; Joynal Abedin, of Rangunia upazila; Nurun Nahar, 40, of Rangamati's Kawkhali upazila; Izadul, 25, of Chattogram's Sitakunda; and Amesi Marma, 30, of Kalampatti union in Kawkhali, said police.

Kawkhali Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Saiful Islam Sohag said the incident took place around 10:15am in Chairman Para area when the pickup collided head on with the three-wheeler leaving three people dead and three others injured.

Three others from the auto-rickshaw were taken to a local hospital, where doctors pronounced two of them dead. Amesi Marma was referred to Chattogram in a critical condition. She died at JK Memorial Hospital in Raozan, the OC said.

Deceased Nurun Nahar's husband, Abdur Rahim, told The Daily Star, "This [Saturday] morning, she [Nurun Nahar] went to Betbunia market for groceries. When she was returning home in a CNG [autorickshaw], a pick-up hit them. Three people in the vehicle, including my wife, were killed on the spot."

The bodies were sent to Rangamati General Hospital morgue for autopsy, said police.

Rangamati Additional Superintendent of Police Mohammad Jahedul Islam said, "We visited the scene. Legal action will be taken in this regard. The driver of the pickup has fled."