Salil Kumar Das, resident of Deshbandhu Nagar at Jadavpur, was crossing the road when the lorry coming from Netaji Subhas Road hit him. He was immediately taken to SSKM hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.

The speeding vehicle later hit a traffic guard in front of the church near the Writers’ and came to a halt. But the driver and the cleaner managed to escape.

“Usually lorries and trucks have to take permission from the police for plying on the road in front of the Writers’ Building. The special permission tag has to be displayed on the windscreen. But this vehicle was not displaying any such permission,” said Vineet Goel, District Commissioner of Police, Kolkata headquarters.

“We have launched a manhunt for the driver and the cleaner,” he added.