Khopoli: Narrow escape for school children as bus hits tree

It was a narrow escape for around 64 students and six teaching staff of Charu Bama Mhatre Vidyamandir, Dombivli, as the bus in which they were travelling along the old Mumbai-Pune Highway hit a tree on Friday afternoon.

According to police, the incident took place around 2.00pm when the bus was going to Gagangiri Ashram in Khopoli from Lonavala.

No one injured in the incident: Police

Shrish Pawar, Senior Police Inspector from Khopoli police station, said that no one was injured in the incident. “The brake of the bus failed and it hit a tree in the Ghat area behind Shingroba Temple along the Old Mumbai-Pune highway,” said Pawar. He added that since the bus was at a low speed, it stopped after hitting the tree.

Soon after the incident was reported, the local administration, Khopoli police and highway police rushed to the spot and rescued all the children who were inside the bus. “All the children were provided with water and eatables,” said Mr Pawar.

Bus was returning from Lonavala

All the students who boarded the bus were from class third to seven students. “They had visited the Ekvira Devi Temple situated along the old Mumbai-Pune highway near Lonavala,” said Mr Pawar. He added that after visiting the temple, they were going to Gagangiri Ashram in Khopoli when the incident took place. Later, all the children were sent by another bus by the local administration.

Published on: Friday, January 06, 2023, 09:45 PM IST