Jalandhar: Truck on wrong side hits school van,12 kids die

Jalandhar, March 4: In a terrible mishap, involving a school bus, 12 school children were killed when a brick-laden truck on a wrong lane collided with the school van. The incident took place on Monday morning near Jaheera village in Lambhra which is close to Nakodar. The van was carrying students of a private school.

The driver of the van was also killed in the mishap. Around 30 children were travelling in the van. Many of the children travelling in the bus were under 10 years of age. According to Jalandhar Rural SP (D) Rajinder Singh, "The mishap took place at 8 am in Jaheera village when the van of Akal Academy was taking students to the school."

While all of them were rushed to a hospital, 5 children are battling for their life at a local hospital. The injured are being treated at Nakodar civil hospital.

Reports suggest that the brick-laden truck was being driven on the wrong side of the road, lost control and collided with the van. According to reports the "impact of the accident was so bad that the school van was virtually reduced to a piece of metal scrap". The entire stretch had bags and tiffin boxes strewn across.

The truck driver is absconding. An FIR has been lodged against the him.

Mention in Lok Sabha

The Lok Sabha today mourned the death of children in a road accident in Jalandhar district. "I am deeply saddened to learn about the tragic accident," Speaker Meira Kumar said in the Lok Sabha.

She also conveyed her condolences to the members of the bereaved families of those children who died in the tragic incident.

OneIndia News (With inputs from Agencies)