4 students, driver injured as school van overturns in P’kula
Second such accident in district after 42 children were injured when an overloaded Haryana Roadways mini-bus overturned near Pinjore on July 8
Four students of a private school and the driver were injured when their van hit a divider before overturning in Sector 25, Panchkula, on a rainy Wednesday morning.
The accident comes nine days after 42 children were injured when an overloaded Haryana Roadways mini-bus going from Kalka to the hill areas of Pinjore block in the district overturned near Nolta village.
Police said three of the students injured in Wednesday’s accident were admitted to a private hospital – Nityam Singh, 4, Parikshit, 4, and Hejal Madaan, 5, while one child was administered treatment at a dispensary. The injured driver, identified as Saurab, was taken to the civil hospital in Sector 6, Panchkula. The condition of all four students is stated to be stable.
There were eight children—of Bhavan Vidyalaya, Sector 15, Panchkula, in the van when the accident occurred near the police post of Sector 25, Panchkula. As per information, the van while maneuvering a turn had hit the divider and overturned. Four students escaped unhurt.
The shrieks of children filled the air as soon as the van overturned. Hearing the cries, residents rushed to help children trapped in the van. The trapped children were pulled out after breaking the window glasses.
Police are yet to record the statement of the driver. The damaged vehicle was impounded. Now, a team from the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) will inspect the vehicle for any violations. Police have already informed the RTA office.
“No case has been registered so far as no formal complaint has come to us,” said a senior police officer.
Van hired by parents
The private van was hired by the parents for picking and dropping children from Sector 25 and Sector 26. The parents told the police that Saurab has been driving the van for the last 18 months.
The parents have told the police that the driver was using the mobile phone while driving while he had gone to pick children in Sector 25, Panchkula. The school management said they had reached out to all the parents and that the children are safe.