Shawdesh desk:

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) has arrested the truck driver who allegedly mowed down three members of a family on the busy Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, including a woman who gave birth to a baby girl moments before her death.

The arrestee has been identified as Md Raju Ahmed Shipon, 42, son of Abdur Razak from Rajshahi, Commander Khandaker Al Moin, director, legal and media wing, at Rab HQ, told reporters on Tuesday.

“He was arrested from the Savar area of Dhaka on Monday night while fleeing on a truck,” said the Rab commander.

“During preliminary interrogation, the accused admitted to hitting the victims near Trishal bus stand in Mymensingh district while ferrying goods in his truck to Kishoreganj on Saturday noon,” he said.

Though locals had seized the truck, the accused managed to flee by getting on a Dhaka-bound bus.

On Saturday, a baby girl was born during the road accident that left three of her family members, including her parents, dead on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway near the court building area in Trishal upazila.

The deceased were identified as Jahangir Alam, 35, his wife Ratna Begum, 26, and their daughter Jannat Ara, 3, from Raymoni village in the upazila.

Jahangir was crossing the highway with his eight-month pregnant wife and daughter for conducting a medical test of his spouse at the upazila health complex when they were mowed down by the truck.

All the three died on the spot but miraculously the baby girl was born before her mother died on the road and taken to the upazila health complex by locals.

She was later transferred to Mymensingh Labib Hospital due to a fractured left hand and collar bone.

On July 17, a case was filed over the accident at Trishal police station following a complaint received from Jahangir’s father.

Legal action will be taken against the arrestee, said Commander Khandaker.