22 students injured after school bus overturns in Latur; one shifted with serious head injury

Latur: As many as 22 students were injured, one of them seriously, after a private school bus overturned into a small roadside drain in Latur district of central Maharashtra on Wednesday morning, police said. The accident took at place around 9.30 am when the bus, carrying around 35 students of Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Vidyalaya at Rachannawadi, was heading towards the school. The driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to veer off the road and overturn into a small drain near Sandol-Mahandol road in Chakur tehsil, Inspector Balaji Bhande told PTI citing preliminary information.

The injured students were immediately rushed to the Rural Hospital at Chakur by local residents who reached the spot after hearing about the accident, said police. Chakur police station inspector Bhande, along with his team, reached the spot and supervised the rescue operation. Ambulances were arranged to shift the injured children to the hospital. Parents also rushed to the accident site and the hospital, demanding strict action against the driver and school management.

Doctors said most students suffered minor injuries to their hands, legs and elbows and their condition was stable. However, one student who sustained a serious head injury, was shifted to Latur city for further treatment, medical officer Dr Sangram Narwate said. Parents alleged the regular driver had left the town after handing over the bus to another driver without informing the school administration.

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They claimed the accident occurred due to the negligence and lack of experience of the substitute driver. Asked about the accident, newly-appointed school headmaster Satish Birajdar said he had not yet taken charge of his post, while his predecessor Bhagwan Khadke maintained he had been suspended earlier by the institution over some other issue. Angry parents questioned the accountability of the school authorities amid the dispute between the two officials.

Chakur Block Education Officer Mandodari Wakade said schools are instructed regularly to ensure student safety. "We conduct meetings every month and issue necessary guidelines regarding student safety. However, it appears the instructions were not followed by this school. A detailed report will be submitted to senior officials and strict action will be taken against those found responsible," she warned.