Class IX student killed, 10 injured as school rickshaw overturns on Umala-Kandari road in Jalgaon
Arjun Koli, 16, of Kandari died during treatment after the rickshaw carrying schoolchildren met with an accident; the driver and nine pupils were hurt.
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A 16-year-old Class IX student died and ten others were injured in an accident involving a rickshaw carrying schoolchildren on the Umala-Kandari road in Jalgaon.
The deceased has been identified as Arjun Koli, a resident of Kandari. He died during treatment.
Ten people, including the rickshaw driver and the students, were injured. Some of the students are said to be in serious condition. The rickshaw was travelling on the Umala-Kandari route with schoolchildren when the accident occurred suddenly. The impact was so severe that the children in the rickshaw were badly hurt.
Locals rushed to the spot and admitted the injured children to a nearby rural hospital. Among the injured is a cousin of Arjun Koli, who is undergoing treatment. Other students in serious condition are also being treated.
As news of Arjun's death reached Kandari village, residents were plunged into grief. A pall of mourning hangs over the entire village and the Koli family.
According to preliminary information, the rickshaw is said to have been carrying more children than its capacity. The driver's negligence is suspected as the cause, but the exact reason for the accident is yet to be established. The actual cause will emerge only after a police investigation.
Police reached the spot soon after the accident and drew up a panchnama. Proceedings are under way to register a case against the rickshaw driver on charges of driving negligently and endangering the lives of children.
The accident has again raised questions about the safety of rickshaws used to carry schoolchildren in rural areas. It has brought back the need to check overloading of children, the condition of vehicles and whether drivers follow traffic rules.
