The Hindu : Front Page : 10 schoolchildren hurt as van, bus collide

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10 schoolchildren hurt as van, bus collide

Special Correspondent

Accident occurred when van driver was trying to overtake a bullock cart

— Photo: L. Balachandar.

IMPACT HIGH: The mangled remains of the school van at Pirappan Valasai near Ramanathapuram on Wednesday.

RAMANATHAPURAM: Twenty-one persons, including 10 schoolchildren, were injured when a van carrying schoolchildren collided head-on with a Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation bus at Pirappan Valasai near here on Wednesday.

Sources said the van, owned by INS Parundu of Indian Navy, was proceeding with the children of Navy officials and staff living in Uchipuli, to the Kendriya Vidyalaya at Mandapam. The TNSTC bus was coming to Ramanathapuram from Pamban.

According to an eye witness, the accident occurred when the van driver N. Sekar (28) was trying to overtake a bullock cart to reach the school in time.

On information, several ambulances, including 108 service, reached the spot and transported them to the Government Hospital in Ramanathapuram.

Joshua (5), Manis (14), Aditya Rathore (6) and Joseph (11), all students were among those injured.

Sekar, van driver, Nagendiran (52), bus driver and Gopalakrishnan, conductor also suffered injuries.

Collector T.N. Hariharan and the Superintendent of Police Pradip Kumar visited the injured at the hospital and asked the hospital authorities to extend proper treatment.

Mr. Kumar said that wrong judgment on part of the van driver in overtaking the bullock cart could be the cause of the accident. However, the role of the bus driver had to be investigated.

It was stated that though the impact of the accident was heavy, the strength of the Navy van, which was apparently the latest one, saved the children.

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