Six-year-old crushed under school bus wheels, driver arrested

A six-year-old boy was crushed to death under the wheels of a school bus and his mother injured in Kandivali (West) on Wednesday. The victim, Gautam Ravi Naidu, was a student of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel School. The driver of the bus, Jokhamlal Yadav (54), fled the spot but was later arrested from his Malwani home.

Police said Gautam, a Class 1 student, was a resident of Harishchandra Chawl in Daruwala Compound in Malad (West). His mother Lata had gone to pick him up after school got over.

Yadav was trying to take a U-turn after reversing the vehicle at Bhogilal Puraiya Road junction, said an officer. He was aligning the bus when Gautam suddenly appeared before the bus, he added. Yadav lost control of the vehicle and rammed into the boy, who had left his mother's side and went running to cross the road, the officer said.

"Lata tried to stop Gautam but it was too late. As she tried to pull him out, the bus went over her right foot, fracturing it," said Hareshwar Pimple, senior inspector.

Within seconds, a crowd gathered at the spot and rushed the boy and his mother to Bhagwati Hospital, where Gautam was declared dead on arrival and Lata admitted to the ICU, said Pimple.

However, principal of SVP School Sangeeta Srivastava alleged that the bus driver entered a lane where buses are not allowed. "The school got over by 12.20 pm. Gautam's mother picked him up at 12.30 pm. The driver entered the lane where buses and heavy vehicles are not allowed. He rammed the bus into the boy who was trying to cross the road," said Srivastava.

"I received a call from locals informing me about the accident. I rushed to the hospital where I was told that my son is no more," said Ravi, Gautam's father. He works for a private firm.

... contd.

ALSO READ

In a first, BMC to survey children under 14

Teen raped at birthday party, sold to man

Alleged bomb planter Siddiqui claims ATS threatened to kill him

Cops pin hopes on CCTV footage to arrest acid attack accused