Dohar singer Kalikaprasad killed in road accident

India's noted folk singer and Bangla band Dohar's front man Kalikaprasad Bhattacharjee died in a tragic road accident in Hooghly district of West Bengal yesterday.

The 47-year-old folk singer was on his way to Seuri in Birbhum area with some of his band mates for a performance, our Kolkata correspondent reports.

The car carrying the band members fell into a ditch after a lorry hit the car at the National Road in Gurap area around 10:00am. Five other members of the band were also injured in the accident.

Kalika was rushed to Burdawan Medical College and Hospital where doctors declared him dead, the correspondent reports.

He is survived by his wife and daughter.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed her shock.

Alongside his music career, Kalikaprasad also acted in the award winning Prasenjit starrer Jaatishwar (2014), Moner Manush (2010) and Bhuban Majhi (2017).

He founded the band Dohar in 1999 and excelled in Bangla folk songs. Dohar's albums were successful and the band gained a huge following. Their music was loved for its unique style and also the band's extensive research into folk traditions in bringing together their music.

The singer with his band collected more than 6,000 folk songs from different parts of India and Bangladesh.