They ran away from death

KOTHAMANGALAM: Devapriya, a fourth standard student, and her younger sister Haripriya (LKG student) of Vidya Vikas Higher Secondary School, Kothamangalam, had no clue on why they were attracting smiles from all those who had gathered at the condolence meeting held on Monday.
The sisters actually had a lucky escape on Friday when the school bus met with an accident that claimed lives of five children.
"Moments before the accident, Haripriya had got up from her seat in the middle of the bus and run to the front. Immediately, Devapriya followed her to ensure the younger one didn't fall in the moving bus. Even before they reached bus driver Ayyappankutty, the tree fell on the bus, exactly at the spot where the children were sitting. One of the branches brushed the head of Devapriya, leaving a scar," said an school teacher, thanking the Almighty.
"Had they not left their seats" the teacher didn't complete the sentence and walked away in tears. Principal Rajeshwari Jemei held Devapriya closely and said, "Your friends went to heaven because they were called. They have a bigger playground and many friends. They are happy."
Latha V, who teaches Malayalam, said that they would shuffle all classrooms when the school reopens. "Many students, who studied with the five students who died in the accident, have expressed their difficulty in sitting in the same class. Madhav P Ashok, my son and close friend of Johan Jeggy, who died in the accident, has made it clear that he does not want to enter the classroom where they both sat together. He misses his best friend and it's not easy to console him," the teacher said.