Speeding SUV crushes 9 schoolchildren to death
MUZAFFARPUR: The injured have been rushed to Sri Krishna Memorial College and Hospital. Hospitals in Patna have also been alerted about the incident. GAURAV PANDEY, Deputy police superintendent, Muzaffarpur East
At least nine schoolchildren of a government school in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district were crushed to death by a speeding SUV on Saturday when they were about to cross National Highway 77 after school.
Deputy police superintendent, Muzaffarpur East, Gaurav Pandey said they had confirmation about nine deaths but the toll could rise further as at least six children were critical. “The injured have been rushed to Sri Krishna Memorial College and Hospital (SKMCH). Hospitals in Patna, around 80 kilometres from Muzaffarpur, have also been alerted and asked to be prepared for treatment of the critically injured,” he said.
The driver of the SUV fled after abandoning the vehicle near the spot, Pandey added.
Police said the incident occurred around 1.30pm when the students of Dharampur Government Middle School were crossing the national highway after school.
“We saw a truck hit a woman on the national highway and try to flee as people ran to her rescue. The SUV coming from the opposite direction, apprehending trouble from locals, tried to avoid the injured woman on the road and crushed the children who had lined up to cross,” said Mithilesh Yadav, who witnessed the accident.
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar announced ₹4 lakh as ex gratia to each of the families of the deceased.
The scene at the hospital was chaotic as parents rushed to find their wards.
Deputy inspector general of police (DIG), Muzaffarpur range, Anil Kumar Singh, who was headed to Patna for a crime meeting, returned to Muzaffarpur midway to supervise the rescue operations.
This is the second major accident in Bihar this month. Ten people were killed and 35 others injured in a road accident on the outskirts of Patna on February 19. The accident occurred when a private bus, carrying 50 persons of a marriage party, overturned on the Patna-Gaya state highway near Kandap under limits of Gaurichak police station.