Six children were killed and around 20 injured on Thursday after a school bus carrying them overturned in Mahendragarh.  Reports indicated the driver was allegedly drunk and the bus did not have the fitness certificate. Also, questions were posed as to how the school was open despite public holiday on account of Eid.

President Droupadi Murmu said the news of death of schoolchildren was heart-rending and prayed for strength to the bereaved families to bear “this cruel blow”.

In a post on X in Hindi, President Murmu said, “The news of the death of innocent children in a school bus accident in Mahendragarh district of Haryana is heart-rending. May God give strength to the bereaved parents and relatives to bear this cruel blow. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured children.”

Reports said the bus belonged to a private school and was being driven rashly at a high speed due to which the driver lost control and rammed the vehicle into a tree, causing it to overturn, police said.

Given the severity of the incident, the Haryana government ordered a probe and issued a show-cause to the school and some other schools that remained open on Thursday despite a public holiday on account of Eid.  Moreover, the government has ordered a probe into the incident following the registration of an FIR, Transport Minister Aseem Goel said. Instructions were given to senior officials that a committee be formed to conduct a detailed probe covering various aspects. The committee will comprise higher officials of the state government, Goel told reporters.

He said the bus involved in the accident was fined recently as it did not have certain documents and the fact that it was still being used was a clear lapse on the part of the school authorities.

Directions have been given to the district transport officer concerned that a FIR be registered against the school, the minister said.

He added that if the probe reveals a lapse on the part of the motor vehicles inspector of the area -- that he failed to take action even though the bus did not have valid documents -- action will be taken against him as well.

“We had challaned the bus for Rs 15,500 due to a lack of documents, but clearly, a lapse of the school authorities has been found,” Goel said.

The minister said he has directed officials that the fitness of all school buses be checked. The district transport officer will issue circulars in this regard to district education officers, he added.

Mahendragarh Deputy Commissioner Monika Gupta said the administration is ensuring the best treatment for the injured children.

Action will be taken against the driver and the school authorities, she told reporters, adding that no one will be spared.

Asked about the bus not having a fitness certificate and other valid documents, Gupta said “all these are matters of an inquiry and will be part of the FIR”.

She said the private school was open on Eid and the district education officer has sent a proposal to the state government for cancelling its recognition.

Education Minister Seema Trikha, who met the injured children in the hospital, said the biggest lapse was that the school was open on a holiday.

Affidavits will be taken from all private schools to the effect that their buses are running in accordance with norms and action will be taken wherever violations are found, Trikha said.