HYDERABAD: In a heart-wrenching incident, a toddler was crushed to death under the wheels of a school van that came to pick up her elder brother. The incident happened in front of her mother Lavanya’s eyes on Monday morning. The child, Momula Adhya, was 1.9 years old and lived with her parents Momula Chandrashekar Reddy and Lavanya in Shabad of Rangareddy district.
It was only a week ago that her brother Satvik Reddy (4) was admitted to the Sumedha Montessori School in Shabad town. On Monday, when Lavanya came out to help Satvik board the van, she had no clue that Adhya was crawling behind her on to the main road. Without being noticed by anyone, the child came near the bus and stood near the front, left wheel. It was only when the van started moving that horror struck everyone on the spot, including 20 children who were in the van on their way to school.
Shabad police have registered a case of causing death due to negligence against the school management and the driver Jangaiah (35). Officials told Express that though the school had necessary permissions to operate the van (TS 07UA 0495), it was plying without an attender to take care of the kids. As per norms, school vehicles should have an attender to take care of the children. The driver has been detained for further questioning.