2 killed, 18 hurt as school bus rams into state bus in Raichur

At least two students were killed while 18 others were injured after the school bus they were travelling in collided with a state government bus in Raichur district on Thursday morning, said officials familiar with the matter.

The bus, carrying 32 students of the Loyola school in Manvi town, collided head-on with the government bus near the Kapagal area of the district, said Raichur superintendent of police Puttamadaiah.

“The school bus, belonging to Loyala school, was carrying students from different villages to the school when it hit a government bus near Kapagal in the morning,” Puttamadaiah said, adding that two students –– Samarth Amaresh (7) and Shrikanth Madesh (12) –– were killed on the spot. The SP also said that legs of three students were severed in the mishap.

Following the incident, 10 students with severe injuries were admitted to the Raichur Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS). Five others were to the Raichur government hospital, the SP added.

Chief minister Siddaramaiah condoled the death of two school children.

“Free treatment will be arranged for the children injured in the incident, the family of the deceased children will be compensated by the state government. I share the grief of parents who have lost their children,” he added.

Raichur deputy commissioner Nitish K confirmed that ₹5 lakh ex-gratia will be given to the kin of the deceased from the chief minister’s relief fund. To the injured, compensation would be provided from the state road transport corporation.

Manvi police inspector Veerabhadraiah Hiremath told HT that cases have been registered under BNS sections 281, 225 A, 225 B and 106 against both the drivers - government bus driver Mahadevappa and school bus driver Balavanth Hanumanth.

Raichur district in-charge minister Dr Sharanprakash Patil condoled to the deaths of the two students. “I’ve instructed the administration to provide the best treatment to the injured, so they can recover fast and go back school soon,” he added.

Union minister for steel and heavy industries, HD Kumaraswamy requested the state government to provide all treatment free of cost to the injured children and announce immediate relief.

With Agency inputs