Godhra bus accident: 24 students hurt, bus conductor dead

One person died and twenty four others were injured, when a bus carrying 70 students, 10 school teachers, 10 support staff collided with a tree near Parvadi village in Godhra on Tuesday early morning.

The injured students were rushed to Godhra Civil Hospital for treatment; four of them have sustained grievous injuries.

Police said the students are from Swami Vivekanand Hindi Medium School located in Narol area of Ahmedabad. The accident took place while they were returning to Ahmedabad after a trip to Ujjain.

The incident took place between 4 am and 5 am in the morning and the students were asleep when the mishap took place. While taking a sharp turn the bus driver lost control and the bus got off the road and collided with a tree. In the incident, the conductor identified as Balramsingh Bhadoria, who was standing near the bus door, died after he was thrown out of the bus after the doors shattered in the collision. The students who were seated in the front were injured. The driver, however, fled the spot after the accident, leaving the bus behind.

The school teachers immediately rang up 108 emergencies for help, who rushed to the spot. The injured students were taken to hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, local police also reached the spot and started investigating.

The conductor's body has been taken to Godhra Civil Hospital and his family, who stay in Agra, has been informed about his demise. As per police, they will reach Godhra on Wednesday and their complaint will also registered.

The school authorities were informed shortly about the incident, who then informed the students' parents about the accident and told them their kids are safe. An alternate bus arrangement was made by the school authorities and the students who sustained minor injuries were brought back to Ahmedabad.

A school trustee, the driver, and the owner of the travel agency were booked. A case under IPC section 304 was lodged against the bus driver, the owner of the travel agency identified as Sitaram Sharma and a trustee of the school identified as Punjabilal Sankarlal Sen, with Godhra town police station. As per police, one of the student's parents has lodged a case against the three accused stating it was the negligence of the trio that caused the accident.

BM Jotana, sub-inspector of Godhra town police station, said, "We have booked the three accused under IPC section 304 and have started investigating the matter. The driver is yet to be identified and a search for him is on."

Too fast to handle

As per one of the teachers who was inside the bus, the vehicle was plying too fast. There was a narrow sharp turn, where the bus driver lost control and jumped off the road. After the incident took place the driver fled the spot and is absconding at the moment. Police have lodged a case against the driver and are on the lookout for him.

Overloaded and how!

After the incident took place, parents of the students started protesting outside the school premises. The parents alleged that the school authorities forced the students to take the trip, despite some being unwilling to join. They even alleged that bus is a 58-seater, yet 70 students, 10 school teachers, and 10 staff were travelling in it. The parents demanded strict action be taken against the school authorities for allowing the overloading.
Godhra Police will lodge a complaint against the school authorities, bus agency, and bus driver over the same. Apart from that, Ahmedabad RTO will also investigate the matter and strict action will be taken against the bus agency if it is found that they violated the rules.

Second accident in four days

On Saturday, 10 children were killed and 10 others were injured when a bus carrying 72 students fell into a deep gorge in the forests of Dang district in South Gujarat. The students were of a Surat coaching centre and were on their way to Mahal in the Dangs for a trip when the bus driver lost control.