Two youths died after the motorcycle they were riding crashed into the parapet of the Parama flyover and they were flung on the road below on Sunday morning.

Police said it appeared the motorcycle was moving at a high speed and the rider failed to negotiate a turn on the flyover.

Dilshad Alam, 22, from Chhatawala Gali, and Anish Rana, 18, from Phears Lane, suffered critical injuries as they fell more than 40 feet. They were taken to SSKM Hospital, where they were declared dead.

The police found a helmet at the site where the victims fell.

The commissioner of Kolkata Police, Manoj Verma, inspected the spot near the Parama island where the bike and the two victims landed and also the stretch on the flyover where the two-wheeler crashed into the parapet.

“This is a technical issue. If a vehicle moves at a high speed at a turning, the chances of such accidents are high. We are discussing with the KMC (Kolkata Municipal Corporation) and the KMDA (Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority) on how this can be prevented. But we felt that these could be prevented. First, the speed has to be reduced. And if the speed can’t be reduced due to some mechanical failure, how to prevent loss of life, such steps would be taken,” said Verma.

The police said the crash happened at 6.40am. The bike was coming from the direction of Salt Lake and was moving up the city-bound ramp of the Parama flyover when the
accident happened.

As the two youths and the bike landed on the road below the flyover, officers of the Tiljala traffic guard and Pragati Maidan police station rushed to the site.

The two-wheeler was seized by the police and will be subjected to a mechanical test. Officers said footage from CCTV cameras on the stretch will be analysed.

“According to a preliminary investigation, no other vehicle was involved in the crash,” an officer said.

Family members of the deceased youths have told the police that they had left home early on Sunday saying they were going to the Maidan.

“The families said they were clueless why they went towards Salt Lake and where they were heading when the crash was reported,” said an officer at Pragati Maidan police station.

Reckless driving accounts for a large number of road accidents. Senior officers in the traffic department said wearing helmets and keeping speed under control are the most effective ways to avert accidents.