Bangalore school bus accident: Don’t drink and drive, says victim’s mom

As the school bus reached the Sarjapur Circle near the police station on Thursday, Yasmin Taj, made it a point to be at the bus stop to receive her son, Salman Khan, a student of class 6 in the Indus International School.

At 12.45 pm, as the bus stopped to drop Salman off, Yasmin met the driver and told him that he should not drink while at work.
“It’s okay to drink a little at night, when all the day’s work is done and one can relax,” the anxious mother told the driver. The driver, in turn, assured her that there was no cause for worry; he was not one to put young lives at risk.

Yasmin panicked after seeing reports of the accident at Sarjapur, involving a school bus. The accident had occurred just half a km from Yasmin’s home. On Thursday, the worried mother arrived to pick up her son and have a word with the driver.

“I saw the news on TV. It sent a shiver down my spine. Salman is my only son. I came here to request the driver to be careful. My concern is not just for my own son, but for all children,” Yasmin said.

Reshma, whose son Suhail is a student of the fifth standard of the Indus International School, was also worried. “Whether mine or someone else’s, a kid is a kid. The school managements should be especially careful while recruiting drivers, and check that they are not alcoholics. We cannot afford a repeat of the Sarjapur accident,” said Reshma.

Pillappa, a resident of Tindlu village, which is also home to many of the students who were riding the ill-fated bus on Wednesday, said, “I have heard of such incidents before too. The private schools charge such huge fees, and make demands for donations too. And despite that, the children are also at greater risk. I’d much rather send my children to a government school.”

But ask the students of Indus International School whether they fear the bus ride home, and they think you’re absurd. “We have confidence in our driver uncle. He never drinks, and there’s no chance he will ever drive irresponsibly. He’ll take care,” the children unanimously said.
kumarsantosh@dnaindia.net, h_chaithanya@dnaindia.net