7 students killed in Chhattisgarh accident

According to the police, eight students from a private school were returning home in the auto-rickshaw when the accident took place on the Korar-Bhanupratapur road in Bastar region’s Kanker district.

BASTAR: Seven schoolchildren were killed after an auto-rickshaw ferrying them collided with a truck in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district on Thursday, police said, adding that another child and the driver of the three-wheeler were critically injured.

The auto-rickshaw ferrying children collided with a truck, in Kanker district. (HT)

According to the police, eight students from a private school were returning home in the auto-rickshaw when the accident took place on the Korar-Bhanupratapur road in Bastar region’s Kanker district.

“The incident took place near Korar — 30 km from district headquarters — at around 2.30 pm when the eight children were returning home in an auto-rickshaw after school. The accident was a head-on collision between the auto-rickshaw and a truck that was coming from Bhanupratapur,” said Kanker superintendent of police (SP) Shalabh Sinha.

The impact was so severe that seven schoolchildren died on the spot while another kid, Gautam Mandavi (8), and the auto-rickshaw driver, Deepak Sahu, were grievously injured, the officer said.

The injured have been taken to the state capital Raipur, about 140 km from Korar, for better medical assistance, said another police officer.

“As per some eyewitnesses, the auto suddenly turned towards the wrong side and collided with the truck, which was coming from the opposite direction,” said the SP. “We have registered a case and are investigating the incident.”

The truck driver fled the spot leaving behind the vehicle, said the officer. “We have launched a search to nab the truck driver.”

The deceased children have been identified as Rudra Devi (6), Rudra Kumar (7), Ishan Mandavi (4), Manav Sahu (6), Piyush Gawde (6), Lishant Gawde (7) and Kumkum Sahu (7).

“All of them were students of Divine Public School in Korar and residents of villages around Bhanupratapur town,” said the SP, adding the bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination.

Expressing grief over the incident, Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel directed the health department to provide all possible help to the injured. “May God give courage to the family members (of the deceased). The administration has been directed to provide all possible help,” Baghel tweeted in Hindi.