The Parmars want strict and quick action to be taken against the school management, so that no other family loses another Viraj.
Until Wednesday, the happy screams of children, including eight-year-old Viraj Parmar, playing their favourite games rent the air at Pratiksha Nagar in Sion.
But, on Thursday, an eerie silence, with an undercurrent of rage, enveloped Baba Ramdev Building Number 8.
The Parmars want strict and quick action to be taken against the school management, so that no other family loses another Viraj.
On Wednesday at 12.30pm, Viraj, a Class 3 student of Sardar Vallabh Ashram English Medium School in Sion, stuck his head out of the school bus window to wave goodbye to his friends. His head banged against an advertising board hanging precariously outside the school. The boy suffered severe head injuries and died later at Sion hospital due to brain haemorrhage.
“I have lost my only grandson. The school authorities did not even come to pay their respects,” said Dinesh Parmar, Viraj’s grandfather. He is employed with the civic education department.
“We will not let the matter rest. We will ensure that the school is taken to task. We have support from other parents, too. We want justice to be served, and fast,” he added.
While the Parmars blame the school for Viraj’s death, the school management has passed the buck to the regional transport office saying “if the school bus was faulty, the RTO wouldn’t have given it permit”.
Viraj’s father Devendra, who works as a salesman in Dadar, stands in a corner, his eyes moist.
He claimed that the school bus service was never regular. “In one week, at least three different buses would come to pick up the children. If the school cannot even reserve a bus for its students, how can they ensure their safety.”
Devendra alleged that a minor fire had broken out in one of the school’s buses near Chunabhatti in the past. “Fortunately, no child was injured.”
The school management has denied all allegations.
“The school has had a contract with the same bus operator for the last 15 years. The bus operator was told to get his buses cleared by the RTO. If there was any problem with the buses, the RTO should not have given the permits,” said Rosy Singh, principal.
She added that there is only one school bus service catering to around 30 students.
The Sion school is yet to decide if it wants to discontinue the bus service.
The family also alleged that the school took time to take Viraj to the hospital. “The mishap took place at 12.30pm, but hospital records say he was admitted at 1.40pm,” said Dinesh.
But Singh defended: “He was unconscious. We sprinkled water on his face. But, when he did not wake up, we immediately rushed him to Sion hospital. A parent from our school was working at the casualty ward and immediately took him in. The paperwork was done later. Hence the documents show the time as 1.40pm.”
Meanwhile, a government official said: “School buses have to follow guidelines framed by the state and the transport department has to ensure they are adhered to.”
The transport department officials met on Thursday and discussed how to avoid such mishaps. The principal secretary of school education and transport department officials will soon meet the state transport commissioner to discuss the school bus policy.
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