AMRITSAR:Â Eight children have died and 8 others are seriously injured after a bus carrying 35 school children fell into a large drain in Attari near Amritsar.
The police said the driver of the bus, carrying mostly from kindergarten students, lost control of the vehicle due rash driving. The accident happened in Muhawa village of Atari near the Indo-Pak border.
According to the police, the driver, who had joined the school just yesterday, was driving rashly.
“35 students mostly from nursery and KG were on board when the accident took place. The bus belonged to DAV Public School and the driver is reported to have fled from the accident scene,” said the Deputy Commissioner of Police.
“People in the vicinity heard the children screaming and rushed to their rescue,” he said.
Eight children have been taken to a hospital in Amritsar. Rescue operations are still on.
“The bridge is very narrow and the driver was driving very fast. At first, only one wheel went off the bridge. Had the driver slowed down the bus, the tragedy could have been averted,” said one of the students who managed to jump out of the bus just before it fell into the drain.
Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar Varun Rujoom who visited the spot with senior officials said, “an enquiry has been ordered into the accident, we are verifying the details on the basis of eye witnesses, and strict action will be taken against those found guilty.”