At least 28 people, 24 of whom are students of three government-run schools, were injured after seven vehicles collided with each other on the Salimgarh flyover near Indira Gandhi Indoor (IGI) Stadium in central Delhi on Monday morning, police said. The other injured included three school employees and a biker.
Of the seven vehicles involved in the pile-up were four buses in which 216 students were travelling with school employees on a trip to the Delhi zoo and Akshardham temple, police said, adding that the students were from Government Co-ed Secondary School, Bhalswa Village, Government Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, Khajoori, and GB Secondary School, Dilshad Garden.
Deputy commissioner of police (central) Shweta Chauhan said at 10.57am, the police control room received an alert about the pile-up and a police team rushed to the spot. They found that four buses, one auto-rickshaw, one Renault Triber car, and a motorcycle had crashed into each other, injuring their respective occupants.
“The car was moving head of an auto that was followed by three buses. A motorcycle was moving behind the three buses and the fourth bus was behind it. The exact reason behind the mishap and whether any mechanical fault was responsible will be ascertained after an inspection of all vehicles involved. As of now, legal action is being taken into the accident,” said DCP Chauhan.
A police officer, quoting eyewitnesses, said the vehicles were descending the flyover when one bus hit a motorcycle moving ahead of it and then crashed into the second school bus. The other buses hit the vehicles moving ahead of them.
All injured students were admitted to Lok Nayak Hospital from where they were discharged by evening after requisite medical attention. Except one student, who had a slightly serious injury to the leg, all students had minor injuries, the hospital authorities and the police said.
The DCP said among the injured students, five boys were from Bhalswa Village school, 10 girls from the Khajoori school and nine boys from the Dilshad Garden school. The three injured school staffers included a woman teacher, said Chauhan.
“All children, except one, had minor injuries and were discharged after first aid. One student had a slightly serious injury on the leg. The child was kept under observation for a couple of hours and discharged,” Dr Suresh Kumar, medical director, Lok Nayak Hospital, said.
Police said the accident took place within minutes of traffic restrictions being imposed in central Delhi owing to the visit by President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries to Raj Ghat to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his death anniversary.
The restrictions led to congestion and the pile-up happened when the vehicles on the flyover tried overtaking each other in an effort to reach their destinations, said a police officer, asking not to be named.
A prima facie inquiry, the DCP said, has found that it was the rash and negligent driving by the driver of the last bus that resulted in the pile-up. In the last bus, 51 student of Government Boys Senior Secondary School, Dilshad Garden were seated.
“A case of rash and negligent driving causing injuries was registered at the IP Estate police station on the complaint by a man named Ravi Kumar. If any new facts emerge during the investigation relevant sections will be added to the case,” she added.
“Saddened to hear the news of the accident today at Salimgarh flyover, IP Estate involving school buses. I have ordered the transport department to conduct an inquiry and submit report at the earliest,” tweeted Delhi’s transport minister Kailash Gahlot.
Government Boys Senior Secondary School, Dilshad Garden, principal Prem Kishore Sharma said on Monday evening,“Children and teachers are okay. We are in the process of getting them discharged.”
Ajay Veer Yadav, general secretary, Government School Teachers’ Association, said the government engaged private buses and tour agencies for ferrying children on a picnic without proper planning. “Schools have no option and have to comply with directives from the government. Meanwhile, ensuring safety and security of children becomes a source of stress for teachers,” said Yadav.
