A 42-year-old woman died in Kolkata on Wednesday after the Hyundai Eon she was driving plunged into a pond in Kestopur’s Prafulla Kanan (West) area. The woman, identified as Sumitra Das, had reportedly taken the car out to practise driving after dropping her daughter at school. Police sources said she was preparing for a driving licence test scheduled for August 22 and may have pressed the accelerator instead of the brake, sending the car into the pond.
Car sinks completely into pond
Reports say that, according to residents, Sumitra had returned home on a scooter after dropping her daughter at school. She parked the scooter, took out the Hyundai Eon recently purchased by her husband, Krishnendu Das, and set off to practise driving.
The car plunged into the pond and became completely submerged. Fire department personnel and police launched a rescue operation that continued for more than an hour. When the vehicle was finally pulled out, Sumitra was found inside, with her face towards the rear hatch and her legs near the steering wheel. This suggested she may have tried to escape as the car filled with water.
Similar tragedies involving learners
Kolkata has witnessed similar incidents involving drivers losing control near water bodies. Reportedly, in February 2021, a 27-year-old motorist, Sonai Ghosh, died after his car crashed through railings and fell into a water body in Haridevpur. Police said he appeared to have been driving at high speed, and the vehicle took nearly two hours to retrieve. Locals had also reported two earlier incidents at the same water body involving learners practising driving.
In November 2022, a couple died after their car fell into a pond in Baduria, North 24-Parganas, while the husband was teaching his wife to drive, as per reports. Police said the woman lost control as they passed the pond and the vehicle fell into the water.
Post-mortem ordered by Kolkata police
Police have sent Sumitra’s body to a government hospital for post-mortem examination and have begun investigating the circumstances of the crash. The latest incident has again highlighted the dangers faced by inexperienced drivers practising without adequate control, particularly near unprotected water bodies.
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Khalid Lateef is a Sub-Editor at NewsX Digital, specializing in Indian politics and global affairs. He also covers viral trending stories and major crime developments.
