It was a harrowing experience for more than 300 schoolchildren, including girls, of the AP Model School at Nadumuru, in a dense forest location 10 km away from Kuppam town, on Wednesday late in the evening, as they heard sounds of wild animals including elephants and the rustling of snakes. They endured the fear while waiting for RTC buses to take them home.
The Kuppam depot of the APSRTC operates two bus services between Kuppam and Nadumuru in the evenings to transport the schoolchildren. The regular schedule of the two buses to depart from school is 4.00 pm. But, the students, aged between 10 and 15, had to wait till 7.30 pm in pitch darkness, surrounded by thick forest frequented by elephants and snakes.
Panic-stricken
Nadumuru forest is known for elephant movement between Kuppam and Tamil Nadu. Recently, an elephant herd had blocked vehicular traffic on the road for several hours. The entire school zone gets deserted when the school closes for the day. The RTC crew had forgotten their schedule and the schoolchildren, whose villages are in a radius of a couple of kilometres started running towards their houses in pitch dark.
By then, school officials too had left the area.
A local scribe from Kuppam, Lakshmi Narayana, who received information regarding the stranding of students at the forest location, reported the matter to RTC officials, leading to operation of services three hours behind schedule.
Angry parents
The episode led to panic among the parents, who had meanwhile reached the school zone amidst fear of wild elephants. Angry parents said that they would report the matter to the Collector.
Nadumuru forest is known for elephant movement between Kuppam and Tamil Nadu. Recently, an elephant herd had blocked vehicular traffic on the road for several hours
