BENGALURU: A speeding private school bus rammed into a shop on a footpath and knocked down two security guards, killing one on the spot and grievously injuring the other at Geddalahalli on Tuesday.
Thirteen students in the bus had a narrow escape with three sitting next to the driver suffering minor injuries. Deceased Shoukat Ali (40) and injured Nayaz Ali (45), both from West Bengal, were working in a BWSSB water purifying unit. They were having tea on the footpath after their shift when they were knocked down. Both were crushed between the bus and the shutters of the closed shop.
An investigation officer said the school authorities gave the reason that the driver lost control over the vehicle following an “epileptic fit”. Police said the accident occurred at 7.45 am on the Hennur-Bagalur main road near Banaswadi. Rafil (19) was driving the mini-bus (AP-29-V-8436), belonging to Narayana E-Techno School, recklessly.
People alerted the school as well as the police before rescuing the panicked and crying children. Police have sent Rafil for medical tests and seized the bus.
A police officer said the bus had no attender and had picked the students up from Kothanur, Thanisandra and Chokkanahalli. It was heading towards Hennur to pick up other students. The school is located at Chelikere, Kalyan Nagar Extension in Kammanahalli.
Ramamurthy, an eyewitness, said Shoukat and Nayaz were taken to a nearby hospital where the former was declared brought dead and the latter is recovering. The bus driver has a valid licence and police are waiting for the medical report to find out if he has any illness or was under the influence of alcohol. “We have filed a case of negligence against Rafil. The school authorities are being questioned for not employing an attender,” a police officer said.
School’s Version
A school staffer, Shekar, said, “I went to the spot soon after the accident. I learnt that the driver suffered from epilepsy.” He also claimed there were 11 students in the bus and no one was hurt. He told Express the driver Rafil is 26-year-old and the bus was hired by the school from Global Transport Service with proper documents.