CHENNAI: In a tragic incident, a 13-year-old died and her sister sustained severe injures as they were allegedly thrown out of a school van when the driver was trying to overtake a lorry and lost control of the vehicle on the Vandalur-Kelambakkam Road on Monday morning. Around 13 other children who were also in the van sustained minor injuries.
Around 8 am, G Nethra Shri, a Class VII student, and her younger sister G Roshini (9), both students of Velammal Vidyashram in Mambakkam, had boarded their private school van and were sitting near the door. Thirteen other children were also in the van.
“As they were on the Vandalur-Kelambakkam Road, the driver tried to overtake a speeding lorry. While doing so, he drove over a pothole and lost control of the vehicle. The sisters seated right next to the door were thrown out and Nethra was run over by the van’s rear tyre,” said a senior police officer.
The van overturned off the road, injuring all the children inside. However, soon after the incident, the driver fled, leaving behind the injured children.
Passers-by who witnessed the incident alerted the police and rushed the children to a private hospital. However, Nethra was declared dead on arrival. Her sister is admitted in hospital and the 13 other children were discharged after treatment.
The 13 other children were discharged after treatment. Later in the evening, the police arrested the driver, Karthik, 23, of Vandalur. The owner of the vehicle, Nithyanandam, of Oonamcherry, was also arrested.
Driver didn’t have valid licence for car or van
Karthik, the driver, was not licensed to drive a car or van, said a police official, adding, “Despite being aware of this, the owner appointed him, risking the lives of children.” Both have been sent to prison