A 12-year-old boy was killed on Sunday after being run over by a vehicle in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri, triggering a protest by locals who torched the goods carrier, police said.

The accident occurred in Debinagar area under the Maynaguri Police Station limits when the occupant of the goods vehicle, who was trying to learn to drive on a school ground, ran over the Class 7 student, a senior officer said.

He said the boy was playing on the ground when the accident happened, adding that the occupant escaped from the spot.

Upset by the boy's death, locals set the goods vehicle on fire and held a massive protest, demanding stringent action against the accused.

Police teams and fire brigade personnel reached the accident site and controlled the situation, the officer said. He added that the boy was initially taken to a local primary health centre and later shifted to Jalpaiguri Super Speciality Hospital where doctors declared him dead.

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