A driver of the school bus died and 25 school children suffered injuries when the bus, in which they were returning home, met with an accident at Thirukalapatti on Thirupattur-Singampunari Road, near here on Tuesday evening.
Police said 36 boys and girls of the Chettinad Public school at Managiri, all below the age of 15 years, had boarded the bus after school hours to be dropped home and the bus met with an accident after dropping 11 children when it reached Thirupattur.
After the bus left Thirupattur and was proceeding towards Singampunari, the driver lost control while negotiating a turn and hit against a roadside tamarind tree on the right side of the road, police said.
The driver, identified as Rathnakumar (36) from Singampunari died on the spot, police said. All the 25 children on board suffered injuries and were admitted to the Thirupattur Government Hospital soon after the accident around 5 p.m. As the hospital lacked basic facilities, the injured students could be given only some first aid.
As there was not even X-ray facility at the Government hospital, parents got their wards discharged from the hospital.
While 11 of the seriously injured students were referred to the government and private hospitals in Madurai, others were admitted to the private hospitals in Managiri and Karaikudi, police added.
Superintendent of Police M. Durai said the mishap had taken place due to the negligence of the driver.
Preliminary reports suggested that the accident occurred due to rash driving, he said. It could not be ascertained immediately whether the driver was using a mobile phone while driving.
Only last month, the Regional Transport Office had inspected all the school buses and vans to ensure the safety of children travelling in the vehicles. Installation of speed governors were made compulsory for all school buses.
