A school bus of a private school in Barwadda, carrying over 30 students, crushed a 25 year old pregnant women, Pinki Devi and her five-year-old son this afternoon around noon near Murradih Millat Nagar under Barwaddah Police station, about 8 km from Dhanbad district headquarters. The victims belonged to Kenduadih locality of Barwaddah.

The incident took place when the bus was heading towards Loharbarwa from Barwaddah to drop students to their home. It is learnt that the pregnant woman and her five-year-old son were heading towards Dhanbad to visit a doctor along with her husband on his bike. The bike on which they were travelling skidded off due to construction material lying on the roadside due to which the woman and her son came under the rear wheels of the bus leading to their deaths on the spot. The driver of the bus fled the spot.

Meanwhile, more than five hundred local residents who rushed to site along with family members of the deceased attacked the bus, breaking its wind screen. They carried out a massive road blockade for more than four hours demanding compensation for the family members of the deceased by the school management and also action against the driver and school owner.

The rogue bus, stranded at the accident spot. Gautam Dey

A team of Barwaddah Police station of Dhanbad led by Suman Kumar, officer in Charge of Barwaddah police station which reached the accident site seized the bus and tried in vain to pacify the agitated people who were demanding negotiations with the school owner.

The blockade was lifted only at around 5 pm after talks held between the agitators and school management led by Dharnidhar Mandal, Secretary of School Management Committee led by Dharnidhar Mandal was successful.

An eyewitness of the incident while talking to the media said, “The incident took place due to construction material dumped irresponsibly besides the road.” Suman Kumar, Officer in Charge of Barwaddah said, “We have organized the talks between the family members and other residents and school management committee. We have launched a manhunt for the driver of the bus who escaped from the site.”