Child falls off autorickshaw, driver refuses to stop

An errant autorickshaw driver was today arrested for rash driving four days after 4-year-old child Adrika Ghosal fractured her left leg and was seriously injured when she fell off her mother's lap from the overcrowded vehicle at Sinthee area in the city's northern fringe, police said.

Adrika's mother Sharmistha told reporters that she had pleaded with the driver for stopping the vehicle, but he did not respond and finally stopped 30 metres off the area.

The child was picked up from the road and rushed to the local hospital with serious injuries.
State Transport minister Madan Mitra visited Adrika at their Baranagar residence today and assured her parents that the state government would help the family with all medical assistance for the injured Adrika.

Mitra said he had telephoned city police commissioner R K Pachananda as to why the police were late in arresting the autorickshaw driver.

"We will take steps as per law," the transport minister said, adding that he would talk to all autorickshaw unions to end the menace of rash driving and other related problems.