Two persons were killed and two others severely injured when a truck collided with a speeding motorcycle and an auto-rickshaw right behind it on Krishnagar-Karimpur road in Nadia on Thursday morning.

Motorcyclist Amjad Mondal, 45, and auto-rickshaw driver Laxmikanta Mondal, 48, reportedly died on the spot near Nazirpur area of Tehatta in Nadia district.

Amjad's wife, Sabnur Biwi, who was riding pillion, suffered fatal head injuries and was admitted to Nadia district hospital in Krishnagar where she is critical.

A male passenger of the auto-rickshaw, who is also admitted to the district hospital, is also seriously injured.

His name is not yet known as he is in no position to speak.

Police and eyewitnesses said that motorcyclist Amjad, a resident of Murutia Udaynagar, tried to overtake the auto-rickshaw and slammed into the truck.

Following impact with the motorcycle, the truck reportedly proceeded to collide with the auto rickshaw head-on.

Local residents heard a crushing sound and then reportedly rushed in to recover Laxmikanta’s body from the mangled remains of the auto rickshaw.

“The driver of the truck got little scope to avoid the accident as the auto-rickshaw was tailing the motorcycle, which itself was running at a high speed and subsequently slid underneath the truck,” an eyewitness said.

Deceased motorcylist Amjad was a resident of Murutia and had been going to visit a doctor in Tehatta with his wife Sabnur riding pillion.

As a result of the accident, traffic was disrupted on the busy Karimpur-Krishnagar state highway for one hour till around 10.30pm.

An official of Krishnagar police district said: ‘Reckless driving led to the accident. It is quite unfortunate that despite repeated appeals and awareness drives, a section of motorists remained incorrigible and unperturbed. Sometimes innocent persons die for other people’s mistakes, an instance of which happened today (Thursday).”