In connection with the tragic deaths of six children in a road accident in Mahendragarh, the Haryana police have apprehended three individuals. The arrested individuals include the school principal and the driver of a private bus transporting the victims. The incident occurred near Unhani village in Kanina around 8:30 am on Thursday, with the bus carrying 40 children. The deceased victims have been identified as Satyam, Yuvraj, Vansh, Ricky, Anshu, and Yakush. According to the police investigation, the driver named Dharmender was allegedly driving recklessly prior to the accident, resulting in the loss of control over the vehicle, which then collided with a tree and overturned, causing injuries to 20 children. Subsequent medical tests confirmed that the driver was under the influence of alcohol, leading to his arrest at the accident site. Additionally, the police have taken into custody principal Deepti and school official Hoshiar Singh in connection with the incident. Reports suggest that concerned parents from Kheri village had earlier taken action by seizing the bus key from the driver and informing the school principal about their safety concerns. Despite promises of a replacement driver from the following day, the principal reportedly instructed parents to return the key to the original driver to avoid further delays. Eyewitness accounts from students like Aditya from Dhanaunda corroborate the claim of the driver’s overspeeding and erratic behaviour, leading to the tragic collision. A Class 12 student, as per the FIR, documented how the intoxicated driver ignored pleas from students to slow down and even resorted to threats. The nation’s leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and various political figures from BJP, Congress, AAP, INLD, and JJP, expressed deep sorrow and condolences over the heartbreaking accident.
