A 34-year-old woman riding pillion on her husband’s motorcycle was killed when a bus hit the two-wheeler at a signal and ran her over near Kankurgachhi on Tuesday, police said.

Reshma Hela, who worked with a tour and travel agency, and husband Basanta were headed for Ultadanga station from Phoolbagan and had stopped at the crossing of CIT Road and Narkeldanga Main Road as the signal turned red, an officer of Phoolbagan police station said.

As the signal turned green, a bus on route 44 (Baguiati-Howrah station), which was behind the bike, lunged forward and rammed into it, the officer said.

“The motorcycle skidded on impact and Hela was flung in the air. As she landed on the tram tracks, the bus ran her over,” he said.

Both were wearing helmets at the time of the accident, the officer said.

Hela’s husband said the two were at the signal. “I had just started moving as the signal turned green when I felt a jolt.... Before I could realise what had happened, I was on the road and my wife a few feet away in a pool of blood. She was not moving.”

The bus driver possibly wanted to be the first to start from the signal, the officer said.

Passengers raised the alarm and some motorists and two-wheeler riders managed to stop the bus by blocking its way, he said.

Hela was declared dead at NRS hospital. “She had lost a lot of blood and a part of her skull had been crushed... we could not revive her,” a doctor who had attended to her said.

Basanta, who is a driver by profession, escaped with minor injuries. He was discharged after first aid at NRS.

The police have seized the bus and arrested the driver, Rafikul Islam. He has been booked for causing death by negligence and rash driving.

The charges carry a maximum punishment of two years in jail and/or fine.