HYDERABAD: Rash driving by a school van driver claimed the life of a toddler in Vanasthalipuram on the city’s outskirts on Thursday. The van that was picking up children for school in the locality hit the child while the driver reversed the vehicle into the narrow lane where the boy lived. The driver, Shankar (26), fled the spot even as the child, G Rohan Reddy, lay motionless on the road after being mowed down. This is the second such incident in the city in the past two weeks. Recently, B Varun, 7, was run over by his school van at Moinabad after he alighted from the vehicle.
Rohan’s mother Mounika and father, Saidi Reddy, who is a driver, reside at Injapur under Vanasthalipuram Police Station limits in Rachakonda Commissionerate. The tragedy happened after Saidi left for work and Rohan ventured out of their house to play outside around 7.45 am.
The school van belonging to Lotus Lambs School in Kammaguda and bearing the registration number TS 12UB 3322 entered Rohan’d lane after picking up a few students from the main road. The driver reversed the van swiftly without checking if there was anyone in the lane, leading to the toddler being hit by the vehicle and dragged for a few feet behind its wheels.
One of the residents who was waiting by the lane to drop his daughter noticed what had happened and raised an alarm. Hearing the man shouting, the driver, instead of stopping, attempted to flee the spot but was intercepted by locals around 100 metres away. The child was rushed to a private hospital, but was declared brought dead.
Vanasthalipuram inspector A Venkataiah said a case of rash and negligent driving had been registered against the driver. “As there was no helper in the vehicle at the time of the incident, notices are being served on the school management to produce the vehicle’s documents. If there is any negligence found on its part, the school will face action,” he said.
Grieving couple donates deceased child’s eyes
OSMANIA Hospital witnessed heart-rending moments on Thursday as a toddler’s father carried the boy’s lifeless body to the mortuary for autopsy. The grieving family has donated Rohan’s eyes to LV Prasad Eye Hospital. The boy’s mother Mounika, who is six months pregnant, fainted on seeing her child lying lifeless before her house after being mowed down by a school van. She was already sick and taking rest at home when she heard the child scream. She rushed out only to find her son on the road.
Saidi Reddy married Mounika, his cousin, two years ago and has since then been residing at Vanasthalipuram along with his in laws. One of their relatives explained how the couple was planning to welcome their second child in a few months, but tragedy struck the family.
“Believing that this loss can be overcome is impossible, especially for his mother who is pregnant. We do not know how we will move on,” said a relative G Venkat Reddy. After the incident, the family and relatives staged a protest in front of Lotus Lambs School demanding action against its management for neglecting safety measures.