Lorries parked illegally on both sides of Transport Depot Road. Pictures by Bishwarup Dutta

A youth winding his way on a two-wheeler through illegally parked lorries in the port area died after being run over by a goods carrier on Wednesday morning.

Supratim Das, 26, was on his way to work around 10am when he was hit from behind by the speeding vehicle on Transport Depot Road.

“The youth lost his balance, rammed into a parked lorry and was flung back only to be crushed under the rear wheels of the vehicle that had hit him,” said Amit Ghosh, who runs a roadside eatery near the accident spot.

Residents and bystanders rushed the Bhowanipore resident, who suffered head and chest injuries, to SSKM Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

Supratim’s parents were shocked into silence by the loss of their only child. “They are not saying a word. They were planning to get him married shortly,” said neighbour Sailesh Sen.

Lathi-wielding youths who take Rs 50 an hour from each lorry

An officer of Taratala police station said a search was on for the killer vehicle (WB-19/0365) and the driver.

The tragedy failed to jolt the authorities into action. Metro ran a check two hours after the mishap and found more than 250 lorries parked illegally on both sides of Transport Depot Road, which links Hyde Road and Goragachha Road.

Drivers said the parking racket was run by local goons who charge Rs 50 per hour from each vehicle.

Supratim Das

Lorries were also seen parked at the spot where Supratim met his end — in front of Calcutta Port Trust quarters, less than half-a-km from his office on Transport Depot Road. He was working as the superviser of three godowns of Toll India, which provides equipment to BSNL, for the past year.

“The lorries were to blame for the death. Had the road been clear, the youth would not have been hit by the speeding truck,” said Bishu Sarkar, a guard at Payarelal & Company, located close to the mishap spot.

Residents alleged that illegal parking had turned the two-and-a-half-km stretch of Transport Depot Road into a death trap.

“The stretch has become especially dangerous for two-wheelers and small cars. Every month, one or two people die in accidents here,” said Alapan Bakshi, who works at Khaitan Electricals, on Transport Depot Road.