Kolkata woman dies as car plunges into pond during driving practice

A 42-year-old woman died after the new car she was learning to drive plunged into a pond at Keshtopur near Kolkata on Wednesday, police said.

The deceased, Sumitra Das, lived with her husband Krishnendu and their daughter in a flat near Prafulla Kanan West, off VIP Road, on the northern outskirts of the city. Krishnendu runs a business, while Sumitra worked at a private firm.

Car plunges into pond during practice

Police said Sumitra was practising driving after the family recently bought the car. She was preparing to appear for her driving test to obtain a licence.

“The family recently purchased a car and Sumitra was learning to drive it. She had to appear for a driving test for her license and was practising. She might have pressed the accelerator instead of the brakes and the car plunged into the 10–12 feet deep pond,” said a police official.

According to her family, Sumitra had taken her daughter to a bus stop in the morning. On her way back, she went to the garage where the car had been kept. The garage was some distance from their home, with a pond located nearby.

Locals rush to rescue her

The car fell into the pond shortly after Sumitra drove it out of the garage. People nearby noticed the incident and several locals immediately entered the water in an attempt to rescue her.

“Soon after bringing out the car from the garage, it plunged into the pond. A few local residents jumped into the pond but couldn’t save her,” said Anish Pal, a local resident.

Police and fire brigade teams were informed following the incident. The vehicle was eventually pulled out of the 10–12 feet deep pond after about one-and-a-half hours.

Sumitra was taken to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

Victim found near back door

A local resident said her position inside the vehicle indicated that she may have made an attempt to escape after the car entered the water.

“When the car was fished out of the water and the doors were opened, it was found that the victim had tried to reach the back door. Her head was towards the back seat and her legs were towards the driver’s seat, suggesting that she might have desperately tried to open the door,” Sujoy Das, a local resident, told media persons.

Police are looking into the circumstances surrounding the incident.