Haryana School Bus Accident: Villagers Stopped ‘Drunk’ Driver, Took Away Key; Vehicle's Fitness Certificate Expired | Details We Know

Several disturbing facts continue to surface since a fatal accident in Haryana's Unhani village in Kanina claimed the lives of six children on Thursday while leaving twenty others injured as their school bus reportedly crashed into a tree in after the driver, who was driving in an inebriated condition, lost control. After a preliminary investigation, police so far have apprehended three people including the principal and the driver.

Painful visuals of school bags, shoes, water bottles and study material scattered all over the accident spot broke many hearts yesterday. Social Media platforms were also full of visuals showing students lying motionless in a pool of blood while others, writhing in pain, crying for help.

What led to the accident?: The ground details

As per reports, the incident occurred near Unhani village in Kanina around 8.30 am. The bus, belonging to the G L Public School, reportedly was carrying around forty students from both primary to secondary classes.

As per reports, the driver, identified as Dharmender, was driving recklessly in an intoxicated condition due to which he lost control and rammed into a tree before overturning.

According to Mandeep Singh, a lawyer from Kheri Talwana village, before the accident, some villagers and parents stopped the bus and took the key away from him after learning that the driver was drunk. However, upon the principal's intervention and request to return him the key, the bus driver again drove off. The principal had promised that the driver would be replaced on Friday. Minutes later, the bus met with the accident.

According to police, "Six children have died in the incident and around 20 are injured," Mahendragarh Superintendent of Police Arsh Verma told PTI over the phone. The deceased students were- Satyam, Yuvraj, Vansh, Ricky, Anshu and Yakush."

Police said the driver was caught from the accident site and his medical examination confirmed he was under the influence of alcohol. Police have also arrested school principal Deepti and one more school official whose name is Hoshiar Singh.

The alcohol angle was further verified by the FIR lodged by a Class 12 student saying the driver was stinking of alcohol and ignored repeated requests by children to drive slowly, and allegedly even threatened them.

There was no helper or any woman official in the bus, said the complainant. Some passersby rushed to help them and pulled out the children from the severely damaged bus.

Fitness certificate expired

Transport Minister Aseem Goel said the state government has ordered a probe into the incident. He also directed officials to check the fitness of all school buses. He said the bus was fined recently as it did not have certain documents and the fact that it was still being used was a clear lapse on the part of the school authorities. They said an assistant secretary in the office of district-transport-cum-secretary, Mahendragarh, was also suspended after it came to light that the bus lacked certain documentation.

A case under IPC Sections 109 (whoever abets any offence), 279 (rash driving), 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 336 (whoever does any act so rashly or negligently as to endanger human life or the personal safety others), 337 (causing hurt by endangering life), 120-B (Whoever is a party to a criminal conspiracy) and under relevant provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act has been registered in connection with the incident, said police.

Show-cause notice issued to school

State Education Minister Seema Trikha, who visited the injured students at hospitals, said a show-cause notice has been issued to the private school to explain why it was open on Thursday despite it being a holiday on account of Eid.