Mumbai: Tension prevailed in Tulinj of Nallasopara on Monday after two school students, aged eight and six years, were run over by a truck, leading to an agitation, with the police resorting to a lathi charge.
According to the police, the accident occurred at around 9:30 a.m. near a local school. Students were exiting the school premises and some of them were crossing the street when the truck, which was ferrying vegetables to a local market, ran over two of them, identified as Aditya Prajapati (6) and Alman Kadir (8), while two others were injured.
Parents of the two students, along with other parents and residents surrounded the truck, dragged the driver out, and assaulted him. The Tulinj police sent several teams to the spot.
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The driver, later identified as Shivkumar Kandu, was taken into custody and later taken to a hospital, while a team of officers with the Tulinj police remained at the spot to conduct inquiries.
“Even after Kandu was taken into custody, the crowd refused to disperse and staged a protest on the road, blocking it for around three hours. We called in reinforcements and tried to reason with the people, but they stayed adamant,” said an officer with the Tulinj police.
Additional Superintendent of Police Yogesh Kumar, Vasai division, said, “The agitation turned violent after a point and the people started pelting stones. Three of our constables were injured in the stone pelting, after which we had to resort to a mild lathi charge.”
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Kandu has been booked for causing death due to rash and negligent driving under the Indian Penal Code and the Motor Vehicles Act. The police said, prime facie, he did not seem to be under the influence of alcohol.
“A team of experts will inspect the vehicle to find out what caused the accident,” said Mr. Kumar.
The police have imposed bandobast in the area and have stepped up patrolling.