In a tragic incident, at least six children were killed and 20 others injured after a School Bus carrying around 30 children overturned near Unhani village under Kanina sub-division in Mahendragarh district on Thursday morning. The incident took place when the bus was on its way to the School in Kanina town after picking up the children from their houses. The school was functioning despite a holiday for Eid-ul-Fitr.
According to Eyewitnesses, the driver was allegedly in a drunken state and he lost balance over the wheel when the bus reached near Unhani village. The local Police said that a school bus belonging to GL Public School in Kanina was involved in an accident in the Mahendergarh district after the driver tried to overtake another vehicle.
Hearing the screaming of children, the passerby rushed to the spot and took out injured children from the bus and were taken to a nearby hospital in Mahendergarh and Narnaul but some of them were declared brought dead. Condition of some of them is also stated to be critical. District administrative and police officers rushed to the hospital to get information about the incident.
Police sources said the bus driver had been nabbed and he was being questioned to find out the exact reason behind the mishap. 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. As per preliminary inquiry, the official documents show that the bus's fitness certificate had expired six years ago in 2018, they added.
Mahendergarh Superintendent of Police (SP) Arsh Verma said that doctors are conducting a medical examination of the bus driver to ascertain whether he was drunk or not. “We are also examining documents of the bus. The school authorities are yet to be contacted to determine their responsibility. Two children are still critical and undergoing treatment. Six children had died,” the SP said in a statement.
Talking to reporters, Haryana Education Minister Seema Trikha said she had spoken to the deputy commissioner and Mahendergarh superintendent of police to visit the hospital where the students are undergoing treatment and begin investigating the matter. Mahendergarh district collector Monika Gupta said that strict action will be initiated against school authorities and bus driver. She termed the accident unfortunate and blamed school driver for the mishap.
President Draupadi Murmu, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda and other leaders expressed their grief over the incident.
Murmu on Thursday said the news of the death of schoolchildren in a bus accident in Mahendragarh district was heart-rending and prayed for strength to the bereaved families to bear “this cruel blow”. In a post on X in Hindi, 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.”
Union Home Minister Amit Shah took to X and extended condolences over the deaths in the school bus accident while assuring that the local administration is providing help to the injured children. “The accident of a school bus in Mahendragarh, Haryana is very sad. My condolences are with the bereaved families of the deceased children. May God give them strength to bear this loss. The local administration is providing help to the injured children. I wish them a speedy recovery,” added Amit Shah.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini expressed profound grief over the unfortunate incident involving a school bus in the village of Unhani, Kanina block, Mahendragarh district. In a statement, the Chief Minister conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the families of the children who lost their lives in the tragic accident. He prayed to the Almighty that the departed souls rest in peace. Saini further said that strict measures will be taken against any negligence that led to this unfortunate incident. Additionally, all necessary support will be extended to the injured children for their speedy recovery.
Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda described this as a heart-wrenching accident and prayed to God to give strength to the family members to bear this grief. He wished for an early recovery of the injured students. He also said that there are reports of many types of carelessness, including driving and drinking alcohol, as possible reasons behind the accident. “The question is also that despite the Eid holiday, why and where was the bus going with the children Therefore, there should be a judicial inquiry into the entire matter,” Hooda said.
