Haryana school bus accident: Police arrest driver's associates who drank alcohol with him

Haryana school bus accident: Police arrest driver's associates who drank alcohol with him

Haryana Police on Saturday said it has arrested two more persons in connection with the accident in which a school bus had overturned in Mahendragarh leaving six children dead and around 20 injured.

Mahendragarh police said the duo had allegedly consumed liquor with the driver inside the school bus before he went to pick up the children.

According to the police, the bus driver Dharmender was allegedly drunk and driving rashly due to which he lost control over the vehicle leading to the accident near Unhani village in Kanina in Mahendragarh district around 8.30 am on Thursday.

The police investigation revealed that the school bus driver had consumed alcohol with his associates inside the bus after parking it in Sehlang village of this district. He then went to pick the children up and take them to G L Public School.

A case was registered against the two associates -- Nittu alias Harish and Sandeep -- residents of Sehlang, under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Motor Vehicles Act and they were arrested on Saturday, the police said.

After the accident, under instructions of Mahendragarh Superintendent of Police Arsh Verma, a team comprising personnel from Crime Investigation Agency, Mahendragarh and Police Station (City) Kanina were formed to take action in the case under the leadership of Deputy Superintendent of Police, Kanina, they said.

The police took prompt action in the matter and a case was registered against the accused and on the same day, three accused, including the driver and school principal, were arrested, they added.

The trio arrested on Thursday were produced before a court on Saturday and taken on police remand for five days, the police said.

The police had earlier said the driver was caught from the accident site and his medical examination had confirmed he was under the influence of alcohol.

They had also arrested school principal Deepti and another school official identified as Hoshiar Singh.

According to an FIR lodged by a Class 12 student, the driver was stinking of alcohol and ignored repeated requests by children to drive slowly, and allegedly even threatened them.

There was no helper or any woman official in the bus, the complainant had stated.

A case under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Motor Vehicles Act has been registered in connection with the incident, the police said.

Additional Chief Secretary, School Education, G Anupama had said on Friday that Mahendergarh District Municipal Commissioner has already assumed control over the management of the school whose bus was involved in the accident.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)