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Tree collapse accident at Carmel Convent, Chandigarh: Heerakshi cremated amid sea of mourners
Hundreds, including Heerakshi’s relatives, uniformed students from Carmel Convent, their parents and school staff, joined the procession to bid the 16-year-old the final goodbye
Heerakshi, the Class-10 student killed in the tree collapse accident at Carmel Convent School in Chandigarh on Friday, was cremated amid a sea of tearful mourners at the Sector-25 cremation ground on Saturday afternoon.
Hundreds, including relatives, uniformed students, their parents and school staff, joined the procession to bid the 16-year-old the final goodbye.
Tears poured, as many among the mourners were her friends who had known her since childhood.
Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher and mayor Sarbjit Kaur were also present.
When her parents left for Shimla recently, Heerakshi, younger of two sisters, is learnt to have refused to go with them to attend school that had recently reopened after summer vacations.
One of her classmates, who was present at the cremation, said, “I have known her since early school years. We started studying at the school together and she was a bright student.”
The grief-stricken students recalled the tragic experience of the tree collapse. “It was quite a normal day, but everything changed all of a sudden. It was horrifying to see students in blood. Had it not happened during recess, the story would have been different,” said a student.
Bus attendant battling for life, on ventilator
The 40-year-old woman bus attendant, who was injured along with 18 students on Friday, is still critical and remains on ventilator support at PGIMER.
The bus attendant, Sheela, a resident of Kishangarh village, had suffered severe head injuries in the incident and slipped into a coma. “The woman remains critical. She was put on a ventilator due to multiple head injuries,” said Dr Vipin Kaushal, medical superintendent, PGIMER. Her husband is unemployed and they have two children.
Along with Sheela, a total of three students were referred to the Advanced Trauma Centre at PGIMER following the incident. While Heerakshi, 16, a Class-10 student, was declared brought dead, 15-year-old Ishita’s arm had to be amputated and another student, Sejal, 16, remains under treatment for spinal injuries.
The tree had come crashing down around 11.30 am when only 10 minutes of the recess were remaining. At the time of the incident, some students were either sitting and having lunch or playing in the open around the tree near a school gate.
Meanwhile, the probe into the criminal case registered in the matter has yet to be started by the Chandigarh Police, as officials said those affected were still under shock. The administration has also ordered a magisterial probe, report of which is to be submitted within a week.
