2 schoolkids killed, 8 hurt as truck hits bus in Karnal
Angry villagers torch truck, other vehicles and block the road
KARNAL: Two schoolchildren were killed and eight others injured as an overloaded truck hit their school bus near Garhi village on the Karnal-yamunanagar road on Thursday morning.
The children, aged between 10 and 15 years, and students of St Simran Public School, Indri, were headed to school when the incident took place.
The deceased have been identified as Sahil, 15, of Bibipur Jattan and Yashmeet, 12, of Garhi Gujran village. The injured have been admitted at Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College and Hospital, Karnal. Bus driver Sanjeev Kumar was referred to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical College and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, with multiple injuries.
Meanwhile, agitated villagers torched the truck, damaged several other vehicles and blocked the road.
The blockade was lifted only after police and administration officials assured the protesters of speedy action in the case.
Complainant Satbir Singh, who is an eyewitness in the case, said the truck driver was trying to overtake another truck and in the process hit the school van which was coming from the opposite side.
The impact of the collision was so strong that the bus overturned and two children fell out and got crushed under the truck.
Talking to Hindustan Times, Karnal SP Surender Bhoria said truck driver managed to flee but police teams working to arrest him. “We have booked him under Section 304 A (death by negligence), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way) of the Indian Penal Code, and will nab him soon,” the SP said. The SP added that traffic was diverted from Indrikarnal road but later opened for traffic.