A motorcyclist came under the wheels of a lorry after he jumped a traffic signal at the Dorina crossing in Esplanade and collided with a lorry moving towards Lenin Sarani on Wednesday, police said.

The motorcyclist died on the spot. The person on the pillion escaped from being crushed under the lorry’s wheels as he was flung off the two-wheeler on impact and he landed a few metres from Lenin Sarani, the police said.

Alauddin Laskar, 23, a resident of Rajabagan, and his friend Abul Jisan Mallick, 20, a resident of Nadial, were wearing helmets when the accident occurred minutes past midnight on Wednesday, a traffic police officer said.

“It is clear from the CCTV footage of the area that vehicles on Central Avenue headed towards JL Nehru Road were not moving when the bike sped past them,” the officer said. “The lorry was headed towards Lenin Sarani from the Raj Bhavan end.”

The motorcyclist saw the lorry to his right and accelerated in a bid to cross the stretch before the lorry but could not avert the collision, the officer said.

“Both the vehicles were moving at high speed… it is clear that neither the lorry driver nor the motorcyclist could control their speed,” the officer said.

Laskar came under the wheels, along with the motorcycle. Mallick got saved from being run over as he was flung off on impact, the officer said.

Officers from New Market, Hare Street, and Bowbazar police stations went to the accident spot.

They could not pull the mangled motocycle out from under the lorry and a crane had to be used to remove the mangled two-wheeler and Laskar.

Laskar and Mallick were taken to SSKM Hospital where Laskar was declared dead, the police said.

Mallick had to be admitted to the hospital.

The driver of the lorry fled after the accident, the police said.

A case of causing death by negligence, rash and negligent driving, causing grievous hurt by doing a rash and negligent act to endanger human life and causing mischief has been started against the driver.

Laskar used to look after his family’s business of garments. He was headed home with Mallick when the accident occurred, the police said.