Pudukkottai: Ten tribal girl students were injured after reportedly falling from a moving government bus near Rengammal Chathiram on the Tiruchy-Pudukkottai road on Wednesday morning.
The students, studying in Classes 8 and 9, had boarded the bus at Rengammal Chathiram to travel to Pudukkottai for school. The bus was reportedly overcrowded, forcing several students to stand near the entrance and footboard.
Overcrowding leads to students falling
The incident occurred around 9 am. According to sources, students standing near the rear footboard struggled to maintain their balance amid the heavy crowd.
The bus door was allegedly open while the vehicle was moving. In the rush, the students reportedly lost their footing and fell onto the road one after another.
One student suffered a serious leg injury after reportedly coming under the bus wheel. All the injured students were taken to Pudukkottai Government Medical College Hospital for treatment.
The incident has raised concerns over the safety of schoolchildren travelling in overcrowded public buses.
Residents block road after accident
Following the incident, residents of the Narikuravar settlement at Rengammal Chathiram and neighbouring areas blocked the Tiruchy-Pudukkottai road, demanding action against those responsible and stronger safety measures for students.
Vellanur police and government officials held discussions with the protesters.
The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation subsequently suspended driver Manikandan and conductor Arjunan pending an inquiry.
Meanwhile, Vellanur police registered a case against the driver and conductor under relevant sections based on a complaint alleging that the students were pushed out of the moving bus.
The investigation will examine the circumstances leading to the accident, including the alleged overcrowding and whether safety procedures were followed.