Patna: At least nine schoolchildren died on the spot while 22 others were seriously wounded when a speeding car ploughed into their group in Muzaffarpur district, Bihar, on Saturday afternoon.
Four of the injured 22 are in critical condition, with hospital authorities admitting that they are doing all they can to save them.
The children, all from a government-run middle school, were struck by a speeding Mahindra Bolero as they crossed a busy highway connecting Muzaffarpur to north Bihar, sending shock waves across the state.
Hearing the cries of survivors, local villagers rushed to the scene of the accident where they found both the injured and the dead lying in pools of blood, with body parts strewn all over. The injured were immediately ferried to a local government hospital.
“Nine children have died in the accident while the condition of four of the injured kids admitted to our hospital is very critical. We are trying to save them,” hospital superintendent Dr D.K. Thakur told the media on Saturday.
Police said they have confiscated the car but a search is on for the driver who fled the scene. Police believe the driver was inebriated, which may have caused him to lose control of his car.
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar announced that each victim’s family would receive compensation of Rs400,000 (Dh22,621) and promised severe action against the accused.
“It’s very shocking. The incident will be thoroughly investigated and action taken after the probe report comes,” the chief minister said.
He also announced that the state would pay the medical bills of the injured children.
This is the second major incident in the past five years. Earlier, 23 children died while dozens fell seriously ill after they were served a tainted midday meal at a primary school in Bihar’s Saran district in July 2013.
