Nine schoolchildren injured, driver killed in Sivaganga van-lorry collision

SIVAGANGA: A van driver was killed and nine schoolchildren were injured when the van they were travelling in collided head-on with a lorry coming from the opposite direction at Komalipatti near the graphite unit in Sivaganga district on Saturday. The deceased driver has been identified as Ethiraj, a resident of Sivaganga.

The van was plying on a private school route and was carrying nine students to a school in nearby Idayamelur. Police said the vehicle rammed into the lorry, and the impact was such that Ethiraj died on the spot. The children, who were seated inside the van, were rescued with injuries. A school attendant present in the van was also hurt.

Following the accident, local residents alerted the police and emergency services. The injured were rushed to the Government Hospital in Sivaganga in an emergency ambulance. Doctors attending to them said the children had suffered multiple injuries, but their condition was stable. Some of the children were discharged after receiving first aid, while others were kept under observation, hospital sources said.

Sivaganga Taluk police have registered a case and have begun an investigation into the circumstances of the accident. Preliminary inquiries suggest that the accident occurred when the van attempted to overtake another vehicle, but this is yet to be confirmed by investigators. The exact cause of the collision will be ascertained after a detailed probe, police said.

Meanwhile, police said they are also questioning the parents of the children to understand why the students were being taken to school on a holiday. It was a Saturday, and schools in the region were closed. The police have not ruled out the possibility of the school having called the children for special classes, but said they were verifying this aspect.

The tragedy has once again brought to attention the safety norms for school transportation. However, officials declined to comment on whether any specific violations were found in this case. The investigation is ongoing, and further details are awaited.