Three individuals, among them a school principal and a private bus driver, have been apprehended in connection with the Haryana road tragedy that claimed the lives of six children in Mahendragarh. The incident unfolded on Thursday at approximately 8:30 am near Unhani village in Kanina. At the time, the bus was ferrying 40 children to GL Public School.
The six children who tragically lost their lives in the school bus mishap have been named Yuvraj, Vansh, Satyam, Ricky, Anshu, and Yakush. Later in the day, the final rites for the departed children were solemnized. The driver has been identified as Dharmender, while the school principal is identified as Deepti.
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Here are the top updates of the Haryana school bus accident.
- According to police reports, a medical examination indicated that the driver was intoxicated. Consequently, he lost command of the bus, causing it to collide with a tree and overturn.
- A student who sustained injuries recounted to the media that the bus was traveling at a high velocity, resulting in the driver, Dharmender, losing control. “The driver seemed to be intoxicated,” the student remarked.
- Amidst the chaos, some students lay still in a pool of blood, while others cried out in agony for assistance. Prompted by the commotion, several bystanders hurried to the scene and extricated the children from the wreckage.
- A class 12 student lodged an FIR against the driver. “The driver ignored the students’ requests to slow down the vehicle. He allegedly threatened the children,” the FIR read.
- The complainant also said that there was no helper or any female official on the bus. An eyewitness said two of the deceased children were from one family, according to PTI reports.
- The private school was open on Eid, and the district education officer has sent a proposal to the state government for canceling its recognition,” said Mahendragarh Deputy Commissioner Monika Gupta.
- State Education Minister Seema Trikha, during her visit to the hospitalized students, stated that a show-cause notice had been dispatched to the private school. This notice seeks an explanation for why the school was operational on Thursday, despite it being designated as a holiday for Eid.
- Transport Minister Aseem Goel announced that the state government has initiated an investigation into the incident. Additionally, he instructed officials to verify the roadworthiness of all school buses.
- Minister Goel revealed that the bus had recently incurred fines due to missing documents. The continuation of its operation was viewed as a clear oversight on the part of the school authorities.
- In a further step, the education department has scheduled a meeting to ensure strict adherence to the ‘Surakshit School Vahan Policy,’ which aims to guarantee the safe transportation of children.
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(With inputs from PTI)
