Kolkata, Oct 18 : Two youths died and three others sustained injuries after a car they were travelling in fell into a ravine near Kurseong in Darjeeling district of north Bengal on Saturday.

The accident occurred in the Tinghumti area along Pankhabari Road. According to police, the vehicle lost control while negotiating a turn and plunged into the gorge.

Additional Superintendent of Police, Kurseong, Abhishek Roy, said, 'An accident occurred in the morning. Two people died in the incident. Three people were injured. All are residents of Naxalbari near Siliguri. The injured have been sent to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital. The reason for the accident is being investigated.'

The deceased were identified as Sumit Singh of Naxalbari block and Rajesh Paswan of Kotia Jot. The injured ' Raj Das and Tarak Biswas of Rathkhola, and Karan Thakur of Kotia Jot ' were rescued and admitted to the hospital.

Police said the five youths had gone for a late-night drive in the hills on Friday and were returning home when the accident occurred. Locals alerted authorities immediately after the crash.

Personnel from Kurseong and Garidhura police stations, along with fire brigade teams, reached the spot and carried out rescue operations.

Singh and Paswan were declared dead on the spot.

Police have launched an investigation into the incident.

This accident comes weeks after a similar tragedy in the hills post-Durga Puja, when four people died and three were injured after a car fell into a 50-meter-deep ditch in the Teesta River near Kalimpong on October 4.

/IANS