School kids injured

TT, Alipurduar, July 15: Three children were injured when a Tata Magic carrying 17 students to St Francis Academy turned on its side after a Maruti Wagon R hit it on NH31C, barely 100m from the school near Madarihat, this morning.

Avaru Rabindranath, the superintendent of police, Alipurduar, said: "The driver of the pool car indicated that he would take a right turn but the car coming from behind was over speeding and it hit the van. We have seized both the vehicles. Both drivers are absconding. "But they are out of danger. said three children admitted here in the hospital are out of danger. Ananya Sukla Das a girl of 7 years suffered head injury who is admitted in the hospital. But she is also out of danger.

Ananya, from hospital bed, said: "As the van met with the accident Suddenly we got a sound and we all fell on each other. as the van fell on road.We shouted for help and were pulled out from the van after 20 minutes, with the help of local people." pulled us out from the van."

Samir Lama who was also an eye witness said, " I was going on my two wheeler and I was little far from the two vehicles. Suddenly I saw that the van took a right turn and the car could not control the speed and collided the school van. Then I along withy local people and the teachers started rescue operation and we rescued every children one by one and took them to nearby Madarihat Block Hospital." The name of the school is St, Francis Academy (CBSE) which is situated at Madarihat. The school has almost 600 students.

Brother Emanuel, principal of the school, said: "I thank god that the children are safe although three children has suffered severe injuries. Ananya suffered head injury, one boy suffered fracture in Collar Bone. This is the first time that such a incident has took place in the history of the school. I have learnt that.from behind. We all rushed to the spot and took the students to the hospital and then to Alipurduar hospital in our school vehicles. We have lodged a complaint against the driver of the Wagon R. in Madarihat Police Station. In the next weekI will ask the school van drivers to ply the vans cautiously to avoid any such incidents in future."