JAIPUR: Drawing to a conclusion on the reports of a minor driving the ill-fated bus, police established on Sunday that 34-year-old Zakir was driving the bus that had plunged into
Banas River in Sawai Madhopur, killing 33.
Police were verifying the documents of teenage helper Shahrukh, and found out that he was 19 years old. The police verified his age from the admission register of
Karmoda government school, where Shahrukh had studied till class VII. A team of Soorwal police also visited his house.
"He studied up to class VII at a government school. We checked the admission register of the school to get his age. As per the school records, he was born on December 17, 1998. That means he completed 19 years of age," said Subash Chandra Mishra, circle officer, city, Sawai Madhopur, while talking to TOI on Sunday. Police also claimed that investigations have revealed that his role was limited to collecting money from the passengers and helping Zakir.
Senior police officers, after getting statements of the injured and verifying other valid documents, said that initial reports stating driver was a minor were based on rumours which started from the social networking networks. The police officers investigating the accident recorded statements of six of the seven injured. All of them maintained that a middle-aged man, that police believes must be Zakir, was driving the bus.
"The rumour spread like wildfire, especially on the social media. However, we have not been able to find anything to substantiate this claim," said Maman Singh Yadav, district superintendent of police, Sawai Madhopur while talking to TOI.
Police believe that the rumour started as villagers saw the body of Shahrukh, who was short, stuck near the bonnet in the river and assumed that he was behind the wheel.
Subash Chandra Mishra, circle officer (city), Sawai Madhopur, said, the police had recorded statements of six injured including
Kamlesh (28) and
Malauda (32) and two kids including Anurag Prajapat (13) and Sonu Gujjar (12). "They were in a better shape as compared to Saturday and were clearly talking about the incident. All of them maintained that a middle-aged man was on the driver's seat and a man of short height was collecting the fare," said Mishra.
