Anxious and distraught parents thronged the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) and Hospital here on Saturday after 13 students were injured in an accident involving a school van and a car on the outskirts of Hubballi.
The accident occurred near the Agadi Cross when the mini-van of CIC English Pre Primary and Primary School at Adaragunchi was dropping children back to their homes. The mini-van was taking a diversion near Agadi Cross on the NH 4 when a speeding car hit the rear end of the vehicle. Such was the impact of the accident that the mini-van almost turned.
Sources said that the mini-van regularly picked up and dropped around 30 students a day and many of them had already been dropped at their homes in Agadi and Pala villages on Saturday. The van was proceeding to drop students in Tirumalakoppa, Palikoppa and Hoolikatti villages. The injured students were rushed to the KIMS Hospital while the four persons in the car were taken to a private hospital for treatment. Of the injured students, six suffered severe injuries and the others have minor injuries.
As the news of the accident spread, anxious parents and their relatives flocked the KIMS Hospital. Several teary-eyed parents stood waiting outside the emergency ward to get some news about their kids. A little later they were relieved to know that the injuries were not serious.
The KIMS authorities said that all the children were out of danger and they would be discharged in a day or two. Hubballi Rural Police have registered a case.
