New Delhi: Eight students of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Rohini (Sector-8) were injured when a speeding Qualis rammed the Maruti van in which they were going to school on Tuesday.

Of the 10 students — mostly from sectors 24 and 25 in Rohini — travelling in the van, Ginni Dua (12) and Akshay Kumar (14) fractured their collar bones while Tamanna Kumar (14), Bhavika Mamtani (13), Rishav Dua (10), Akshay (12), Anjali (13) and Arzoo (13), and the van’s driver Ravi (21) received minor injuries. Shubham Khatri (10) and Rosy (7) escaped unhurt.

‘‘Ginni and Akshay have fractured their collar bones while others have received minor injuries on limbs, back and forehead. We have given them the necessary medical treatment and discharged them around 9.30 am,’’ said Dr Mukesh Yadav, chief medical officer of Dr BR Ambedkar hospital, where the students were admitted.

‘‘As soon as the van carrying 10 of us from Sector 25 took a turn towards Sector 24 at around 6.45 am, a speeding Qualis coming from Rithala rammed into it. Due to the impact, our van toppled twice and its CNG cylinder fitted in the rear side came off and hit a 35-year-old woman Bhagirathi,’’ said Bhavika, a student of Class IX. Bhavika’s brother Akshay also received minor injuries. A passerby Munna Lal came to the rescue of the kids. He stopped a school bus crossing the accident site and got these students and Bhagirathi admitted to Ambedkar hospital.

‘‘Both the van and Qualis, which belongs to a travel agency, have been kept at Budh Vihar police post under Sultanpuri police station. The driver of the Qualis fled the spot but he was arrested late on Tuesday evening,’’ said Manish Aggarwal, deputy commissioner of police (north west).

Though none of the kids were severely injured, worried parents are now hesitant to send their kids in private vans. ‘‘Travelling in these vans is risky but we don’t have any other option as the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) has no provision for school buses. Earlier, the school used to operate from a different school building in Sector 25. We used to drop the children as it was close to our homes. But last year they shifted operations to another building in Sector eight.

Therefore, we have to depend on vans now as the school doesn’t make travel arrangements for its students,’’ said Devender Dua, Ginni’s father.

Agrees Vina Dagar, aunt of Shubham: ‘‘Fortunately, Shubham jumped off the window of the van and escaped. But we cannot take this risk every day and school should take up the issue seriously and provide bus services for the kids.’’

The accident brings back the memories of an earlier mishap in which two KV students — Sachin and Sunny — died after a speeding Tata Sumo collided with their Maruti van in November last year. Both the brothers were students of KV, Lawrence Road.

Despite such incidents taking place in quick succession, KVS joint commissioner Pragya Srivastava said: ‘‘We are sympathetic to the injured kids and their families but it is a policy decision not to provide bus service. We are fully dependent on resources from the Centre and cannot afford to maintain a separate transport system for the purpose.’’

SOurce: TOI(Delhi epaper)

Entry Filed under: Delhi Road Accidents