- Parents and local residents demand action against school admin for negligence
SWAT: An eighth-grader was killed and 41 other students sustained injuries, some of them critical when the bus of a private school slipped off Asala Bridge in Swat’s Khwazakhela area and fell into a ditch, the police and rescuers confirmed on Friday.
Khwazakhela Circle DSP Altaf Hussain along with Khwazakhela Police SHO Hayat Khan while sharing details of the tragic accident, said that a bus of Abaseen Public School Khwazakhela was taking back 42 students to Fatehpur area from the school. In meanwhile, the skidded off road after the driver lost control of the steering on Asala Bridge and as result, the bus fell into the ditch.
“A bus number AJK-6090, which was driven by the elderly driver, 70-year-old Rozi Gul, son of Gul Khushab, resident of Alpurai Shangla district, present Khwazakhela. As a result, an eighth-grader Dawood Khan, son of Ali Rahman, a resident of Sheen, died on the spot while 41 other students aged 5 to-15, sustained injured,” DSP Altaf informed.
The DSP said that the police, rescue and local people took out the body of the dead student and the injured and shifted them to Khwazakhela Hospital, adding that five critically injured student were transferred to Saidu Teaching Hospital.
The police have registered a formal FIR against the driver Rozi Gul on the complaint of SHO Hayat Khan and started further investigation.
According to Rescue 1122 spokesperson Shafiqa Gul, the bus was taking the children back home from their school, Abaseen, located in Khwazakhela.
“When the bus reached a narrow bridge in Asala area, the driver lost control and the bus plunged into a ditch. One student died on the spot, while 41 others were injured, six of whom are in critical condition,” Gul said.
She said Rescue 1122 teams reached the site of the incident and moved the injured students to Khwazakhela Hospital. Those in critical condition were taken to the Saidu Sharif Teaching Hospital for further treatment.
“This is the second school bus accident in Tehsil Khwazakhela involving the same driver, which raises many questions”, said a local resident.
He questioned that despite reaching the age of 70, why the school administration had allowed Rozi Gul to drive the bus?
He also stressed that investigation must be carry out into as to who has issued a fitness certificate to the bus despite it being dilapidated and old?
Parents and citizens have demanded immediate notice and investigation from the administration in this regard.
According to local residents, the road and bridge in the Asala area were very narrow, resulting in several accidents. Despite repeatedly asking authorities to widen the road, no action had been taken, they complained.
The locals further added that police must take action against the driver and the school’s owner for “playing with the lives of children”.
District Police Officer Swat Dr Zahidullah said that an immediate inquiry was conducted into the incident, and strict action would be taken against the school’s management and the driver.
