Pathetic scenes were witnessed at the accident spot with parents of the victims wailing over the bodies. They said they were unhappy with standards at their village school and the children were being sent by bus to the private school nearby.

``The teachers at government school come at 11 am and leave the school at 3 pm. There are only four to five teachers and no proper teaching,'' one Somula Naik said.

Ravinder (8) and Rama Rao, studying in 4th and 7th classes, were brothers. Both were killed which gave a rude shock to their father Dasru who was a poor farmer.

Similar was the case of Syda (10) and Manga (12)who were sisters. While Syda died on the spot Manga succumbed to injuries on way to the hospital.Out of a population of nearly 1,100 in Kallepalli, Lambadis constitute at least 90 per cent and they cultivate cotton, chilli, paddy and other crops, mostly in leased lands.

Among those killed in yesterday's mishap were several farmers who were going to Chityala to buy chilli saplings. They were forced to go to other places with recent rains destroying the chilli saplings raised by them. The story of one Valya was heart-rending as he had married only last summer and a son was born to him only two months ago.