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Tribune News Service
Lucknow, January 19
Twelve schoolchildren were killed and 44 injured in two road accidents in Etah and Farrukhabad district today.
A school bus collided head- on with a truck amid dense fog on the Aliganj-Paliyali road at 8.30 am, killing 12 children, all aged between six and 15 years. The bus driver too was killed.
The school administration chose to ignore the Etah District Magistrate’s order on schools up to Class VIII remaining closed till January 20 because of bad weather conditions. A case has been registered.
Eyewitnesses said the school bus overturned under the impact of the collision. The front portion was ripped open. Those killed are Akash (40, bus driver), Himanshu (9), Vikas (5), Lavish (11), Sunny (14), Anuj (10), Shivani (11), Kishan (6), Pankaj (13), Radhika (15), Nikki (12), Diksha (9) and Rishabh (6).
Expressing condolences, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav asked the administration to ensure the best possible treatment for the injured.
Senior officials rushed to the site to supervise the rescue operations. A crane had to be deployed to retrieve the bus and gas cutters were used to rip open the bus to rescue the trapped children.
While 20 injured students were rushed to the government hospitals in Etah, Saifai and nearby Aliganj, some were admitted to private hospitals.
In another accident in Fatehpur district, a school van rammed into a goods carrier, injuring nine students. The driver too was hurt. ADG (Law and Order) Daljeet Chaudhury has issued a fresh eight-point guideline on school vehicles.
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