Four children from St. Xavier’s High School met with an accident on Monday morning when their school bus met with an accident at Thane Belapur (TB) Road. The bus’s driver Keshav Tripathi (35) and a rickshaw driver were also injured.
According to Rabale police officials, more than 30 kids were travelling in the school bus. The bus was on its way to school as classes resumed on Monday after the Diwali vacations. At around 7.20 am, due to a brake failure the driver could not control the vehicle near a speed breaker and it hit an auto rickshaw, a Maruti van and a Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) bus, before coming to halt. “The bus was overcrowded and Tripathi didn’t follow the speed limit according to safety norms,” said investigating officer V.R. Patil.
“Nearly 30 school children were on the bus, and thankfully there has been no major injuries. All the children have been sent home after being given first aid. Four children, who were injured, were admitted to a nearby hospital and they will be discharged soon. They have got minor scratches on their leg, head and hand,” said Mr Patil.
He added, “A case of negligent and rash driving has been registered against Tripathi, who has been arrested under sections of the Indian Penal Code and Section 184 of the Motor Vehicle Act.”
Sharing more details about the accident Mr Patil said, “We have yet not established the exact reason for the accident. Though it is being speculated that there was a brake failure, it is yet to be certified by the RTO, where we have sent the vehicle for investigation.”
A source said, “The school bus hit an auto rickshaw, a Maruti van and then an NMMT bus. The driver of the auto rickshaw has been seriously injured and had sustained multiple fractures. He has been admitted to hospital. The NMMT bus was empty, hence no casualties were reported.”
