6-year-old girl run over by bus on school campus in Ludhiana

A six-year-old girl lost her life when she was mowed down by a bus inside a private school here on Monday. Although she was taken to Fortis hospital, she could not survive owing to serious head injuries.

The deceased, Amaira, was a class 1 student of BCM School here and and the only child of her parents. Her father runs a playway school in Bhamian Kalan.

The incident occurred at 8.30 am. As Amaira got off her school bus and headed towards her classroom, another bus mowed her down under the front tyre. Eyewitnesses said the girl's head got crushed in the accident. The school staff immediately rushed the girl to Fortis hospital. However, she was declared brought dead.

Amaira's mother Rupinder Sood said they were informed by the school that their daughter had met with an accident and she had suffered injuries, but they were not apprised of the death. It was only when they reached the school they got to know about the demise of their daughter.

The parents and relatives of the deceased gathered outside the school and protested against the authorities. They alleged that the accident occurred due to the gross negligence of the school authorities. Initially the school authorities had locked the gate and no one was allowed to enter the school. Parents alleged that the gate had been locked to clean the blood spilled on the ground and even the driver and bus was allowed to move out. The police had to rush in more personnel to calm down the angry protesters.

Police division 7 SHO Inspector Bhupinder Singh said a case was registered against school principal DP Guleria and bus driver Simranjit Singh on the charges of causing death by negligence. The driver was arrested while principal was yet to be arrested.

National road safety expert Dr Kamal Soi said the incident had once again raised the concern over the lack of implementation of the Safe School Vahan Policy. He added he would again approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court to get it implemented.