Four schoolchildren hurt as bus overturns in Sangrur
Villagers block Patialabathinda national highway; driver, school owner booked
SANGRUR : At least four children were injured when a school bus overturned at Munshiwala village in Bhawanigarh subdivision of the district on Monday.
The incident took place when a bus of Steelmans Public School, Channo, was ferrying students to the school. The bus hit rammed into a roadside tree and overturned.
People working in the fields rushed to rescue the children, all between 4 and 10 years. The injured were discharged from a hospital after treatment.
After the incident, area residents blocked traffic on the Patiala-bathinda National Highway for two hours and raised slogans against school authorities, accusing them of ignoring students’ safety.
“A few months ago, a student of the same school was killed in an accident. Though the school is charging hefty fee, it is not concerned about safety of our children,” said one of the parents.
School principal Anjali Gour said the accident took place due damage of a wheel bearing. “We have made elaborate transport arrangements for school kids. Today’s incident took place due to technical snag,” she said.
Police have booked 30 people for blocking the highway. “Police have registered a case under Section 431 (mischief by injury to public road, bridge) of the IPC and Section 8B of the National Highways Act and other relevant sections against 30 people,” said Bhawanigarh station house officer Charanjiv Lamba.
Assistant sub-inspector Rajwant Kumar said police have booked bus driver Nirbhay Singh, school transport in-charge Satinder Pal Singh and owner of the school Jasbir Singh Dhindsa under Sections 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code at Bhawanigarh police station.