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Tragedy on first day after winter holidays
Anuja Jaiswal/TNS

Chandigarh, January 2
Balkar Singh cursed his fate as he waited and wept outside the emergency ward of Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32. He lost his 15-year-old nephew in the school bus accident. His daughter and niece are battling for life in the hospital.

“Hey bhaghwan ye kaisa tera khel hai. Inn massom bachon ne to abhi zindagi dekhi bhi nahin thi (these kids didn’t even know what life is),” cried an inconsolable Balkar, a resident of Sabga Village.

Waiting for the CT scan results of his daughter, Esha, at the GMCH-32, where 13 injured students of Arjun Public School were brought for treatment, Balkar cursed the family’s fate. “For us this New Year has brought only miseries. My nephew Ashotosh is dead and I don’t know how my niece Divya is in Ambala Civil Hospital,” he said.

“All three of them were very excited when they left home in the morning, as today was the first day of school after the winter vacation”, said Balkar. Ashutosh was in the 9th class, Divya and Esha were students of the 8th and Lower KG respectively.

Ashutosh’s uncle, Kamal, said they were informed about the accident by villagers. “I rushed to the hospital and tried to locate the children but could not identify Ashu as his face was swollen.”

Ramsharan, a resident of Shahbad, also had a similar tale to tell. Two of his children, Sahil (Class II) and Shuvam (Class IV), and a nephew, Navneet, were injured in their head and upper parts of the body. They are undergoing treatment at GMCH-32. With tears rolling down his cheeks, Ramsharan said the doctors were “gravely concerned” about Shuvam’s condition. The child is undergoing treatment at the pediatric ICU.

“We are paying to god for their lives. You too pray for them”, he said.

Rajkumar was hysterical as he repeatedly asked doctors to re-check his dead four-year-old son, Shivam. “I know he has been declared brought dead. But check him again, maybe…”, he said as doctors and attendants of some other patients, who didn’t even know him, hugged him and consoled him.

Talking to The Tribune, Medical Superintendent Dr Vipin Kaushal said of the 13 children brought to the hospital, two were declared, “brought dead” and the condition of at least three, Esha, Shuvam and Aman, was critical. He said the others including Akshit (10), Harman (5),Uplash (4), Harsh (4) and Nandini (7) were being treated and their condition was being closely monitored. Four other students with serious injuries were brought to PGI. They were identified as Harsh, Pankaj (both 8), Jatin and Harshit (both 4 year old). The condition of Harsh and Pankaj was stated to be critical.