In horror ride to school, boy crushed to death after falling through hole in bus floor
The driver of the school bus, which did not have a fitness certificate, did not stop even when the victim’s brother alerted him of the mishap.
A six-year-old boy, Yash Gurjar, was crushed to death by the school bus he was travelling in after he fell through a hole in the floor of the vehicle on Friday in Karauli district, 160 km southeast of Jaipur, police said on Saturday.
Yash Gurjar of Gudla village was a student of Krishna Children’s academy, a private school.
Deputy Superintendent of police of Karauli circle Sampat Singh said the incident took place around 8 am.
“Prima facie, we have found that there was technical fault in the bus. There was a gap in the floor on which Yash was sitting. As the driver applied brake he fell through the hole and was crushed under the rear wheels of the bus,” Singh said.
The victim’s brother Sandeep (10), who was also in the bus said he immediately told the driver about Yash but the driver didn’t stop.
“I was shouting and telling the driver that Yash has fallen through the hole of the bus but he didn’t stop,” said Sandeep.
DSP Singh said the driver fled after stopping the bus at the school. “We have identified the driver and he will be arrested soon,” he told.
A villager said the family agreed for settlement with the school management and conducted funeral of the child. Later, on the intervention of the community members, an FIR was filed against the driver under IPC sections 279 and 304A of the Indian Penal Code.
Singh confirmed that Yash’s funeral was conducted before the registration of the FIR.
District collector of Karauli Nannu Mal Pahadia has ordered a probe into the matter. He said, “We have ordered a probe into the matter. Strict action would be taken against those who are found guilty.”
Pahadia added, “I have also asked the transport officials to provide a report of all the vehicles running without fitness certificates.”
District transport officer Girish Agarwal said the bus did not have a fitness certificate. “The fitness certificate of the bus expired in October 2017 after which it was not renewed. We have seized the bus and will take action as per the rules,” Agarwal said.
