SWAT: An eighth grade student was killed and 34 other students were seriously injured here on Friday, when a dilapidated bus of a private school fell into a ditch below the Asala bridge in Khwazakhela Tehsil of Swat district. Police officials confirmed.
DSP Khwazakhela Circle Altaf Hussain along with SHO police station Khwazakhela Hayat Khan while explaining the details of the tragic accident said that the bus of Abasin Public School Khwazakhela was on the way to Fatehpur area after the school holiday with about 42 children and lost control of the driver on the Asala bridge and fell into the ditch.
“A bus number AJK-6090, which was driven by the elderly driver, 70-year-old Rozi Gul, son of Gul Khushab, resident of Alpurai Shangla district, present Khwazakhela. As a result , Dawood Khan son of Ali Rahman resident of Sheen, a student of the eighth grade, died on the spot while 34 other stundte between ( 5-15) were injured. DSP Altaf said.
DSP Altaf said that after the incident, the police, rescue and local people took out the body of the dead student and the injured and shifted them to Khwazakhela Hospital. Where 5 children have been transferred to Saidu Teaching Hospital due to critical condition.
The police have registered a formal FIR against the driver Rozi Gul on the complaint of SHO Hayat Khan and started further investigation.
“This is the second school bus accident of Tehsil Khwazakhela after three years by the same driver. After which many questions have arisen.
Despite reaching the age of 70, why has the school administration kept Rozi Gul driving again?
Who has issued a fitness certificate to the bus despite it being dilapidated and old?
Parents and citizens have demanded immediate notice and investigation from the administration in this regard.
Earlier, on November 13, 2021, an accident happened to the old defunct bus of Khyber Public School Khwazakhela in Gabin Jabba valley and the bus from the same driver, Rozi Gul, lost control and hit the hill while returning. As a result, 4 students were killed and 33 were injured.
After which the administration imposed a ban on the driving of old models buses and elderly drivers, and the fitness certificate was made mandatory for all private school buses and vans, but despite this, old models buses are still running and the elderly drivers are the ones driving these vehicles. Which is a question mark on the performance of the administration.
Tragic School Bus Accident in Swat: Eighth Grader Killed, 34 Injured
