Five killed as bus carrying school students overturns in Junagarh

The private luxury bus was carrying students of Tarvadi-II Primary School of Surat on an educational tour. The students were on their way back from Somnath temple in nearby Gir Somnath district when their bus overturned after hitting the highway divider at around 8:30 AM.

“Three students and two women cooks who were part of the tour have been killed. Injured have been rushed to Junagadh civil hospital and instructions have been given to ensure best treatment to them,” Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama who was in Gir Somnath said.

The dead were identified as Bhavu Bambhva (11) Nisha Rabari (11), Divya Bharati (13), Champa Rajkotiya (40) and Ramila Rathod (45). Rajkotiya and Rathod were two of the three cooks accompanying the students. SMC announced Rs1 lakh exgratia to the kin of each of those killed and Rs50,000 to the serious injured.

Sub-divisional magistrate of Keshod, MM Joshi said that there 78 students, 12 teachers, three cooks, a bus cleaner and driver on board the bus when the accident took place.

“The driver of the bus lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a curve as he was apparently overspeeding. The bus hit the median of the highway and overturned. Three students and two cooks were killed on the spot,” superintendent of police (SP) of Junagadh, Saurabh Tolumbia told The Indian Express.

The seriously injured 18 students were rushed to a government hospital in Junagadh. From there, four critically injured were referred to Rajkot for further treatment. While two girls were undergoing treatment in Rajkot civil hospital, one was being treated in a private hospital. The fourth student who required cardiovascular intervention was referred to Ahmedabad Civil hospital from Rajkot.

Those who sustained minor injuries were given primary treatment at a government hospital in Keshod and were later sent to Surat in an alternate bus.

Later in the day, Ghanshyam Kankotiya filed a complaint with police in this regard. Based on his complaint, Keshod police booked Raju, the driver of the bus under IPC Section 304 (a) for causing death by negligence and rash driving.

However, Keshod DySP Balvantsinh Vaghela said that the driver ran away after the accident and that efforts were on to nab him.

“We know the identity of the driver and he will be arrested soon,” Tolumbia added.