Nine students of Vidyashilp Academy were injured when their school bus overturned near Jakkur on Thursday afternoon. Fourteen primary section students were on the bus that toppled to its right when driver Vijayendra (28) was negotiating a curve on the Jakkur Main Road at around 12.20 p.m.
Immediately, passersby and residents of the area rushed to the spot and rescued the children trapped in the bus. Samuel, an employee of a coffee shop close to the accident spot, told The Hindu that they broke the window panes next to the door and managed to open the latch. “Then, two persons climbed on the bus and lifted the children from the bus,” he added.
An ambulance was called and rescued children were rushed to hospital in Byatarayanapura. A doctor at Sai Northside Hospital said nine children were brought to their hospital for treatment. “Most of them had minor injuries on their arms and limbs. However, Advaitha (6), a class 1 student, and Niharika (8), a class 3 student, have head injuries,” she said.
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Later, Advaitha and Niharika were shifted to Columbia Asia Hospital at Hebbal, where they are undergoing treatment.
Advaitha’s father Santosh Kumar said that his son had suffered a head injury. “One of his eyelids is crushed. He has to undergo a minor surgery. I hope he gets out of it well,” he added.
Niharika’s father, Mithun, said that his daughter’s condition was stable, but refused to comment further.
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Service outsourced
Kalpana Mohan, principal of the school, said that a private travel agency had been given the contract of ferrying to and from school and that they inspected the vehicles regularly. “We take full responsibility for the safety of the children on the bus. We heard that the bus overturned when the driver was trying to avoid ramming a vehicle,” she added.
Yelahanka traffic police have registered a case against the school bus driver, Vijayendra.