Thirteen school children of Euro School in Airoli narrowly escaped death after their school bus collided with a BEST bus
Thirteen school children of Euro School in Airoli had a narrow escape after their school bus had a head-on collision with a BEST bus outside Nahur railway station yesterday at 8.15a.m. A total of 18 people, including 13 children were injured in the accident. The driver, Shantaram Narayan Nivase, has been arrested by the police and charged with section 279 (rash driving) and section 337 (causing hurt by act endangering safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code.
The incident took place early morning when 522 limited from Vashi to Marol met with a head-on collision with a school bus carrying students of Euro school in Airoli.
Both drivers were injured apart from the cleaner and a teacher of the school bus and a passenger of the BEST bus.
While the school shifted its staff and students to Fortis Hospital in Mulund, the drivers were taken to Veer Savarkar Hospital in Mulund, Mulund General Hospital and Heritage Hospital in Airoli.
The school bus was ferrying students of nursery to standard five. Five school teachers were also aboard the bus.
Dr. Natasha Mehta, Principal of Euro School in Airoli said that their bus met with an accident at Nahur while it was transporting students to the school. “A few students and staff sustained injuries. The injured were rushed to Fortis Hospital in Mulund. The police are investigating the matter.”
Anil Garg, President of School Bus Owners’ Association (SBOA), said that the eye-witnesses in the BEST bus itself said that the driver was driving rashly.
The school bus belongs to a private contractor who is a member of SBOA.
“The school bus came to a halt after an auto rickshaw suddenly took a u-turn. The BEST bus which was coming from the opposite direction in great speed hit the school bus as soon as the auto-rickshaw took a u-turn,” said Garg.
According to Garg, the school bus was not speeding.
He rubbished claims that the accident happened due to an oil spill on the road. “BEST buses are being driven rashly. The government must take stringent action in such cases. School buses are always blamed for not meeting safety standards. The government must penalise the BEST,” he said.