Haryana govt forms committee to probe Mahendragarh school bus accident

Chandigarh: A committee has been set up to probe the factors leading to Thursday's accident involving a school bus in which six children were killed and around 20 injured in Haryana's Mahendragarh, officials said.

Police arrested three people, including the principal of the private school as well as the driver of the bus who was allegedly drunk and driving rashly.

According to an official statement, the committee has been set up by Mahendragarh deputy commissioner Monika Gupta for a thorough investigation to ascertain the causes and circumstances leading to the accident.

"In the light of the tragic incident where a school bus of G L Public School, Kanina carrying students met with an accident near Unhani resulting in the loss of lives of six students and injuries to several students, it is imperative that a thorough investigation be conducted to ascertain the causes and circumstances leading to this unfortunate event," according to an order issued by Gupta on Thursday.

In this regard, a committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of additional deputy commissioner, Mahendragarh to inquire into the matter and asked to submit its findings at the earliest so that further necessary action can be taken accordingly, said the order.

The committee will also comprise sub-divisional magistrate, Kanina; deputy superintendent of police, Kanina and district education officer, Narnaul, it said.

According to another order issued by the DC on Thursday, the sub-district level committees of Mahendragarh district -- constituted by the government to conduct inspection of school buses under the chairmanship of the concerned sub-divisional magistrate -- shall ensure that from Friday onwards, no school bus is involved in transportation of children without fulfilling the requisite norms prepared for the safety of school buses.

"Further, to ensure remarkable improvement in the checking of vehicles used for carrying students of schools/educational institutions, any such vehicle is found to have committed an impoundable offence, such school bus be not released till the impoundable office is not rectified.

"Any laxity in this regard be dealt with iron hands to take strict action against the defaulters," said the order.

In the wake of Thursday's accident, concerned departments, including the traffic police, on Friday carried out special drives across the state to check whether school buses plying on roads were following all norms and had necessary documents like roadworthiness, pollution under check, and valid permits, officials said.

The accident occurred near Unhani village in Kanina in Mahendragarh when the bus was carrying around 40 children to the G L Public School.

Police had said the driver was caught at the accident site and his medical examination confirmed he was under the influence of alcohol. They also said that the bus did not have a fitness certificate and other documents.