18 students injured as bus turns turtle

Monday, August 20, 2012 - Islamabad—Eighteen students were injured, two of them critically, when a school bus they were travelling in turned turtle at Mattan area here. The district administration has initiated a probe into the incident.

Reports said a school bus belonging to St. Peters Convent School, Islamabad, which was ferrying students to their respective destinations after the school time was over, turned turtle and fell into a gorge at Ranipora area of Mattan here.

10 students sustained injuries in the mishap and were immediately rushed to District Hospital, Islamabad (Anantnag) where from two of the critically injured students Ovais Ahmad and Zakir Ahmad Dar were referred to SKIMS, Srinagar.

“Ovais sustained head injury while Zakir had head and leg injury. Both of them were referred to SKIMS for treatment,” Medical Superintendent, DH Anantnag, Fazil Kochak told Greater Kashmir.

He said the remaining injured students are being treated and their condition is stable.

All the injured are students of Primary wing of the school. The conductor of the school bus was also injured in the accident.

‘The driver of the vehicle was travelling with a high speed as a result of which it lost control and turned turtle,” parents of the students alleged.

Later the parents protested against the school authorities and the education department for failing to ensure quality transport facilities to their wards. They alleged that despite charging huge amount from the students the school buses often remain overcrowded.—GK