As many as two schoolchildren died and another 55 were injured after a school van belonging to a private school and a government owned bus collided head-on near Kapagal village in Manvi taluk of Raichur district on September 5, 2024.
The school van was carrying 40 children. While two died on their way to the hospital, 38 children suffered injuries. The two victims have been identified as Samarth (7), a student of class 1, and Srikanth (12), a student of class 7 of Kurdi village. The legs of three other children were amputated in the incident.
The school van driver also suffered injuries and has been admitted to a hospital. However, the bus driver escaped unhurt, sources said.
Head-on collision
The incident occurred when a private school van, on its way to Manvi taluk after boarding children from Kurdi village, and a bus belonging to the Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC) going from Manvi to Raichur collided from opposite directions, sources said.
“There were 40 children in the school van, and of them, two died on the way to the hospital. Out of 38 injured children, 15 children, including three who suffered severe injuries after their legs were amputated, are getting treatment at Raichur Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) in Raichur. The rest 23 children, who have suffered minor injuries, are being treated at a different hospital in Manvi and Raichur. All are out of danger,” Deputy Commissioner of Raichur Nitish K. told media persons outside RIMS.
The CM expressed his sorrow about the incident over phone, and has directed officials to provide better treatment for injured at RIMS or shift them to another hospital, if needed, the DC said.
He further said that the KKRTC had announced a compensation of ₹5 lakh to the families of each of the deceased children and ₹3 lakh for those critically injured. “I will also send a report to the government for further compensation from the Chief Minister’s welfare fund,” he added.
CM announces free treatment, compensation
Following the horrific accident, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also took to X to offer his condolences. Apart from announcing free treatment for the children injured in the incident, he said the State government would give solatium for the family of the deceased children.
Locals shocked
The incident, which happened around 8.45 am on Thursday, sent shockwaves among the public. Anxious parents rushed to the hospitals in a panic after the news was spread like wildfire in the district within a minutes.
“The children, who were supposed to take part in Teacher’s Day celebrations at school, have lost lives in a gruesome accident,” a local resident said.
Out of 55 injured in the accident, 17 were travelling by the KKRTC bus. They have been shifted to local hospitals and provided treatment.
Officers visit
Mr. Nikhil said that the first priority of the district administration was to provide better and immediate treatment and protect valuable lives. But, he said, a strict legal action will be taken against the person responsible. Addressing the media, Superintendent of Police MrPuttamadaiah said that police were registering a case over the incident. The investigation is underway and thereafter, the real cause for the incident will be revealed.
Meanwhile, a team of officers from KKRTC Raichur, headed by Divisional Controller Chandrasekhar M.S., visited the accident spot and RIMS hospital. “The compensation will be distributed to the families of victims today itself as per the direction issued by Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy. We will register a complaint against the bus driver as part of formalities,” he said.
Published - September 05, 2024 01:56 pm IST
