Kolkata: Director Siddhant Das rams car into market, 1 dead, 8 injured
Kolkata: A film and television director, Siddhant Das, was arrested on Sunday after he allegedly rammed his car into a crowded market in Kolkata’s Thakurpukur area while under the influence of alcohol, resulting in the death of one person and injuries to eight others.
The incident occurred around 9 a.m. when Das, 35, was reportedly driving from Bakrahat towards Gariahat. Witnesses said he lost control of the vehicle, broke through a barricaded stretch cordoned off for road construction, and drove straight into the market area, hitting hawkers and pedestrians. The car came to a halt after crashing into a parked scooter.
Local residents pulled Das out of the vehicle and thrashed him before police arrived at the scene. He was arrested along with a woman accompanying him in the front seat. Another woman in the backseat managed to flee. Police recovered four bottles of alcohol from the vehicle.
The deceased has been identified as Aminur Rahman, 63, a vegetable vendor. He sustained critical injuries and succumbed at a nearby hospital. Another injured person, 68-year-old Joydeb Majumdar, is said to be in a critical condition. Seven others were given first-aid and discharged the same day.
Several carts and two-wheelers were also damaged in the crash. Police have launched an investigation and are on the lookout for the absconding woman.
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EAM Jaishankar meets Jamaican PM, gifts over 10 BHISHM Cubes
Kingston (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and discussed ways to further deepen "political, economic and people-to-people cooperation."
Jaishankar also conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Holness.
"Pleased to call on Prime Minister @AndrewHolnessJM in Kingston. Conveyed the greetings of PM @narendramodi," Jaishankar posted on X.
"Discussed deepening our political, economic and people-to-people cooperation. Value his commitment towards further strengthening India-Jamaica relations," the post further read.
Also, the external affairs minister handed over 10 BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri) Cubes as a gift to Jamaica.
"Formally handed over 10 BHISHM Cubes as a gift from India to Jamaica, in the presence of PM @AndrewHolnessJM, Health Minister @christufton and FM @kaminajsmith," Jaishankar posted on X.
"The BHISHM Cube mobile hospital system, designed for rapid deployment, will help Jamaica during disasters and emergencies. The gift of these cubes is a statement of friendship, a commitment to disaster preparedness, and an outcome of innovation," the post said.
Jaishankar arrived in Kingston on Saturday evening, marking the first leg of his nine-day tour of Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, aimed at further strengthening India's strategic and cultural ties with the Caribbean nations.
Earlier in the day, he interacted with the Indian diaspora and discussed India's ongoing transformation in infrastructure, human development and technology-driven governance and entrepreneurship with them.
He also highlighted the cricket bond between both countries as India gifted a scoreboard to Jamaica.
A scoreboard was dedicated at Sabina Park in Kingston. It is the home of the Jamaica cricket team and is the only Test cricket ground in the Caribbean island nation.
The minister expressed hope that the new scoreboard would witness many memorable innings, including those symbolising the enduring friendship between the two countries.
Cricket has long been a strong cultural bridge between India and Jamaica, which is part of the West Indies cricket team.
Jamaican players, including Chris Gayle, Courtney Walsh and Michael Holding, have played a major role in shaping the legacy of West Indies cricket in the international arena, contributing to its dominance in earlier decades and its continued global appeal.
