A day after four children were charred to death in a fire tragedy involving a ramshackle van in Punjab’s Sangrur, police slapped murder charges against the driver and the owner-cum-principal of the school to which the vehicle belonged.

Confirming it, Sunam DSP Sukhbinder Pal Singh said school owner-cum-principal Lakhwinder and van driver Dalbir were arrested on the murder charge on the complaint of a girl’s father.

Meanwhile, a tearful adieu was given to the children at their native place in Sangrur on Sunday.

The children included a three-year-old girl visiting the school for the first time, police had said. The accident took place on the Longowal-Sidsaachar road.