KOTA: Two girl students were killed on the spot, and five others critically injured, when a private school van collided with an SUV near Itawa town, around 80 km from Kota, on Saturday morning, police said.
Itawa DSP Shivam Joshi said the accident occurred at around 8 am when the school van, carrying 10 to 12 students from Gaita village to a private school in Itawa, lost balance and collided with an SUV heading towards Bundi.
The collision was so severe that both vehicles overturned.
Eyewitnesses reported that the school van lost balance after a tyre burst.
The deceased girls have been identified as 15-year-old Tanu Dhakad, a Class 10 student, and 8-year-old Parul Arya, a Class 4 pupil.
The five critically injured students were admitted to New Medical College Hospital in Kota, police said.
The van driver and a passenger in the SUV also sustained injuries and were admitted to a hospital in Itawa. However, the SUV driver fled the scene following the accident.
Local MLA Chetan Patel visited the hospital, checked on the injured, and consoled the families of the deceased students.