A couple were killed when the cycle they were riding was hit by an oil tanker on NH41 near Udayach in the jurisdiction of Tamluk police station on Sunday morning.

Gajendranath Maiti, 55, and his wife Jharna Maiti, 48, were on their way to her parents’ home for Jamai Sasthi when the accident happened around 8am.

Jharna died on the spot while Gajendranath succumbed to his injuries on the way to Tamluk District Hospital.

The couple hailed from Soadighi village near Tamluk.

Gajendranath and his wife were travelling to his parents-in-law’s home at Kharui, 6km away from their home. “As the destination was short, Gajendranath, a farmer, was riding his bicycle,” said a neighbour.

Bikash Dev Jana, a witness, said: “There was a divider across NH41. The couple first cycled across two lanes to reach the divider and waited for oncoming traffic.”

“As they were crossing the road after having checked for oncoming traffic, an oil tanker driving down the wrong flank for a petrol pump rammed into them. The couple had to pay for the oil tanker driver’s fault.”

An ambulance parked nearby soon arrived. By that time, Jharna had reportedly died, but her husband was still alive. While Gajendranath was being taken to the hospital, he died. Doctors at the hospital declared him dead and said he died of internal haemorrhaging.

Jharna Maiti

Gajendranath’s nephew Shuvendu said: “I bought mangoes and sweets in the morning for my uncle as he had to go to his in-law’s house for Jamai Sasthi. Uncle said he would return home in the evening. But I could not imagine that he would not return home alive.”

A police officer said the tanker driver had escaped but the vehicle had been seized.

Friends and neighbours said Gajendranath had stopped going to his father-in-law’s house on Jamai Sasthi after his daughter’s marriage three years ago. This time, Gajendranath decided to visit the father-in-law as he was to celebrate his 25th marriage anniversary.

Local panchayat chief Taraknath Jana has said the deceased couple have one son and one daughter. “The boy works at a private firm in Kharagpur. The daughter is married,” said a neighbour.