UP: School bus falls into roadside ditch, six injured

Five school children and a bus conductor were injured when a school bus fell into an eight-ft-deep roadside ditch near Hindon police post in Charthawal area of Muzaffarnagar at 7 am on Monday. Police said the driver lost control of the speeding bus.

“None of the injured received serious injures. After treatment, they were discharged from the hospital. The children were taken to their villages in the company of family members,” said Charthawal station officer Vindhachal Tiwari.

He said driver Shakti Singh was taken into custody and booked for rash driving under section 279 of the Indian Penal Code.

A case was also registered against the principal, manager and transport in-charge of the Nalanda Public School under section 338 (causing grievous hurt by act of endangering life) of the IPC, he said. “They did not maintain the required security standards in their school bus,” said the SO.

Police said there were 15 children in the bus, most from villages Pipalshah and Roni Harzeepur. The injured included Deepanshi, 12, Tanuj, 13, Ayush, 13, Anshika, 9 and Garima, 10, of village Roni Harzeepur. Besides, bus conductor Satbeer ofNepal, residing in Roni Harzeepur, was also injured.

The first assistance came from passers-by who immediately informed the police. A team under the leadership of Tiwari and circle office (Sadar) Mohd Rizwan reached the spot and helped the children get out of the bus with the help of villagers. The injured were taken to the local community health centre and a private hospital in Charthawal.

Vasistha Bhardwaj