Uttarakhand: School bus runs over 3-year-old in Ramnagar

NAINITAL: A bus of a Ramnagar-based private school mowed down a three-year-old boy identified as Vimal on Monday morning in the Jassaganja area, following which, local residents brought traffic to a standstill demanding action against the school.


The area remained blocked for several hours as residents sat on the road and started shouting slogans.

It was only after the intervention of the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of the area and police that the bus driver was arrested.

Police said that the accused driver was trying to turn the vehicle when the bus hit the boy who died on the spot. Ramnagar station house officer (SHO) Ravi Saini said, “Residents were protesting when police reached the spot. However, the administration and the police were able to pacify the crowd and took the driver into custody. We have started investigation in the case and an FIR has been registered against the driver under sections 304A (causing death due to negligence) and 279 (rash driving) of the Indian Penal Code. We assure that immediate action will be taken in the matter.”

Hardwari Lal, father of the deceased boy, told TOI, “Vimal had gone out with his mother when he was hit by the bus. We are very poor and it was only with the help of local residents that the driver was caught. Even now, the school has not reached out to us. We demand strict action against the school and the driver.”

Meanwhile, in another incident, a 44-year-old man identified as Anand Singh Darmwal was killed by a speeding vehicle in Haldwani early on Monday. According to residents, the man owned a tea stall on the highway and had gone to fetch water when an unidentified vehicle hit him and he died on the spot.

Haldwani police said that they have started looking at CCTV footage, adding that the vehicle that caused the accident will be located soon.