Ten students were injured after a school bus from Ram Murti Public School met with an accident on Tuesday afternoon in the Kandhai police station area of Pratapgarh district, sparking panic among parents.
The bus, which was returning after school hours with around 30 students on board, reportedly went out of control and plunged into a roadside ditch near Amhara Golahi village along the Bani Terahmile canal road, police said.
As the vehicle overturned, children inside began screaming for help, while the driver fled the spot immediately after the incident, police added.
Hearing the cries, local residents rushed to the scene and helped rescue the trapped students.
Ten children, identified as Shankar Patel, Abhi Mishra, Lakshya Tripathi, Arif, Shakib, Kasif, Kulveer, Ansh, Chahat, Raghav and Kuldeep, sustained injuries and were taken to the community health centre (CHC) at Sheetlaganj for treatment. Doctors said their injuries were minor, and all were discharged after receiving first aid.
The accident triggered chaos from the crash site to the CHC, as anxious parents rushed to locate their children. While some returned home after finding their children safe, others hurried to the hospital in distress.
{{/usCountry}}The accident triggered chaos from the crash site to the CHC, as anxious parents rushed to locate their children. While some returned home after finding their children safe, others hurried to the hospital in distress.
{{/usCountry}}Circle officer (Patti) Manoj Raghuvanshi reached the accident site soon after receiving information and later visited the CHC to enquire about the health of the injured students. An investigation has been launched into the incident and efforts are on to trace the bus driver, he said.
According to local residents, the bus frequently uses the same route, where traffic movement is minimal. They suspect a steering malfunction or driver error may have caused the accident, though police said the exact cause would be determined after the investigation.