Chandikhole: As many as 22 schoolchildren had a close shave Monday after a pick-up van they were travelling in turned turtle after the driver lost balance over the wheels near a bridge at Haridaspur under this block in Jajpur district.
18 of the children were hurt while the condition of three others including the vehicle driver and two Class V students was stated to be critical. The incident occurred while the students were on their way to school at Balichandrapur at around 6:30am.
Sources said overloading was the reason of the mishap. While the vehicle has a capacity to ferry eight people, it was ferrying 22 students.
The critical students were Sanjay Prakash Khandei (12) of Khetrapal village under Dharmasala police limits and Ayushman Maharana (12) of Balichandrapur. The students complained that the driver was speaking over the phone that led to the mishap.
The incident spread outrage as locals held the school authorities responsible for the mishap. ‘It is the negligence of the school authorities. Thank God, no one has died, but what if someone would have died? a local questioned.
While the vehicle has the capacity for eight people, why did the school authorities allow 22 students to go inside the vehicle despite the bad and slippery condition of the road following rain?, another complained.
This was not the first day. The vehicle was carrying so many students in the past . It was a regular sight as the vehicle ferried so many students ever day, it was learnt.
The driver who was also critical in the mishap was admitted to a private school. Meanwhile, guardians complained that the driver had no license. This created furore among them who demanded free treatment of students. Dharmasala police seized the vehicle and a probe was launched.
PNN