Jalpaiguri: Four women tea workers were run over by a speeding vehicle on Asian Highway 48 at Hasimara in Alipurduar’s Kalchini on Saturday morning.The deceased were identified as Rajani Barla (32), Augustina Munda (36), Bertha Kharia (41) and Pushpa Darjee (51). They were cycling to Beech Tea Estate when a vehicle rammed into them from behind. While Pushpa died on the spot, six others were grievously injured. Three more died on the way to Uttar Latabari Grameen Hospital. The remaining three injured women were first shifted to Alipurduar District Hospital and later moved to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, where they are currently undergoing treatment.The Alipurduar police have arrested one Sahil, the driver of the vehicle from Jaigaon. Police said that Sahil was going to Assam from Siliguri and had mistakenly taken the Jaigaon route from Hasimara.Locals staged a blockade on AH-48, which connects Bhutan’s commercial capital, Phuentsholing. The stir was lifted after the labour department announced compensation for the victims’ families.
