MADURAI: A Class 12 student was killed and her cousin sustained injuries after a State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) bus alleged knocked them off their scooter near Nagapattinam on Tuesday morning. The incident occurred when R Ashwini was attempting to cross a bypass road. Abinesh (11), who was riding pillion, was admitted to Nagapattinam Medical College Hospital.
According to sources, Ashwini, a resident of Mela Iluppur in Kilvelur block, was on her way to her school in Tiruvarur. She regularly rode a scooter to neighbouring Kurukkathi, where she parked the vehicle before proceeding to Tiruvarur by bus.
The accident occurred when a Nagercoil-Velankanni bus struck the scooter while trying to avoid them, sources said. The girl died on the spot while her cousin was severely injured. The passengers in the bus too sustained minor injuries on collision and some got out of the vehicle through the emergency door, sources said.
On information, family and relatives of the girl staged a sit-in on the bypass road alleging lack of safety measures led to the accident. Based on a complaint, a case was registered at Kilvelur police station and the protest ended after officials assured action. The body was handed over to her family after a post-mortem examination.