As many as 48 persons, including 14 school going children, were injured after a State transport corporation bus in which they were traveling fell into a pond near Tiruthuraipoondi in the district on Friday.
According to police, the bus from Kalappal village in Tiruvarur district with passengers and school children was passing through Attur Pandaravadai village when the driver allegedly stopped the bus suddenly to avoid hitting a rashly-driven motorcycle coming in the opposite direction with three riders.
As the soil on the side of the road was in a loose condition, the driver allegedly lost control and the bus fell into the pond.
The bus was apparently standing on a side inside the pond.
Hundreds of villagers from neighbouring hamlets rushed to the spot and rescued the passengers and sent them to Tiruthuraipoondi Government Hospital with the help of the ‘108’ ambulance service.
Of the 48 injured in the accident, one woman, M Shanthi (27) of Naduvakalappal village, who was seriously injured, and Sumathi (20) of Periyasingalandhi, who was pregnant, were referred to the Tiruvarur Medical College Hospital.
The injured persons included 14 students studying in various schools in Tiruthuraipoondi.
The injured students are D Nisha (11), P Dharani (12), M Kaniska (13), M Sakthipriya (11), Indumathi (16) all from Kalappal, B Naresh (10), M Sarkunam (8), M Shanthakunam (10) of Kurinchimulai, P Saran (8) of Naduvakalappal, P Suguna Bharath (13), S Kanika Sri (7), S Subha Sri (8), Anushyia (16) all from Meenambanallur and Divya (8) of Keerandanallur.
All the injured persons are being treated in the Tiruthuraipoondi Government Hospital.