Haryana Principal Arrested After Deadly Bus Accident, School Asked Why It Was Open On Eid

Hours after at least six students were killed and 20 injured when a private school bus overturned in Haryana’s Mahendragarh on Thursday, the school’s principal was arrested.

Haryana Education Minister Seema Trikha said a showcase notice had been issued to the school as it was open on Eid-Ul-Fitr.

“I want to tell the whole state that today school should not be opened. A show cause notice has been issued and apart from that, we have taken self-affidavits from the private schools. Second, they have to provide an affidavit of the transportation vehicle saying that their vehicles functioned according to the transport rules and norms. Third, whoever is driving their vehicles, if they are found drunk, then they (schools) will hold the responsibility,” Trikha said.

According to news agency PTI, the bus was ferrying students of GL Public School from their houses when it overturned while overtaking another vehicle on the road.

“Several schoolchildren, who were injured in the accident, were immediately rushed to a hospital,” a police official was quoted as saying.

Haryana Transport Minister Aseem Goel told ANI that a high-level committee will probe the incident.

“FIR to be registered against the school. In March, a fine of Rs 15,000 was imposed on this school bus due to incomplete papers. The negligence of the school is very clear in this case. I have ordered for fitness test of all school vehicles to be conducted in the state,” he said.

Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, “It’s very unfortunate and sad news. I got the information that the driver was drunk. I can’t understand, where the children were going on Eid? It’s a matter of investigation. I have sympathy towards the families affected.”

Meanwhile, Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) chief former Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala asked why the school was functioning despite a nationwide holiday on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. He also sought a probe into reports of the driver of the bus being drunk.

“This is a serious issue as the school was operational on a holiday and there is information that the driver was drunk. An inquiry needs to be made and it should be checked as to why such an incident happened. This is a failure of the district administration and the government,” he told news agency ANI.

Superintendent of Police, Mahendragarh, Arsh Verma informed that the driver of the bus has been arrested.

Responding on the reports suggesting that the driver was drunk, Verma said, “We have apprehended him and his medical examination is being conducted after which we will be able to properly establish whether he was actually drunk or not”.

Some reports are also suggesting that the driver indulged in rash driving, the SP added.

RTA Assistant Secretary suspended

Pradeep Kumar, Assistant Secretary, RTA, Mahendragarh at Naranul, was suspended with immediate effect on Thursday following the Haryana bus accident.

As per an official order issued by the Haryana government, Pardeep has been placed under suspension with immediate effect as he failed to check vehicles plying on the road without valid documents.

Meanwhile, the Additional Transport Commissioner (Road Safety) directed officials to conduct a detailed inquiry and submit a report pointing out the reasons for mishaps and the name of the concerned officer/officials of the office of DTO-cum-Secretary, RTA, Mahendragarh at Narnaul or other people responsible for dereliction of their duties within three days after physically visiting the place.

(With agency inputs)