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हिन्दी 
A school van mowed down a 6-year-old girl on Monday on the private institute’s premises, officials said.
They added that the Class 1 student, Amaira Sood, at BCM Senior Secondary School, Sector 32, Chandigarh Road, was crushed by the van right after she got off it around 8.40 am after reaching the school.
According to the information available, the van did not have an attendant, and the minor got off it unsupervised. The deceased’s parents alleged negligence on part of the school authorities and alleged that they tampered with evidence in the aftermath of the incident.
The Division Number 7 police have registered a case in connection with the matter and have acquired closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera footage from the school, the officials added.
The van driver, Simranjit Singh, school principal DP Guleria and management of BCM School have been nominated in the first-information report (FIR). Simranjit Singh was arrested, and the van was impounded, police said.
According to the information, the minor got off the van unsupervised and walked in-front, which is when the driver ‘recklessly’ moved the vehicle, knocking down the girl. The victim’s head was crushed by the van’s front tyre, killing her on spot.
The van had picked Amaira up from her home in Bhamian.
Amaira, an only child, has left behind a grieving family. Her father, Anurag Sood, is the principal at a private school.
Locals and students’ parents staged a protest outside the school. The school authorities locked the gates from inside and did not allow anyone to enter. Later, heavy police force was deputed in the area to avoid any untoward situation. The protesters pelted the school gates with stones and bricks before the police arrived.
Authorities cut wires of CCTV cameras, allege kin
The victim’s family members alleged that the school authorities tampered with evidence to cover up their irresponsibility.
Pankaj Kumar, a relative of Amaira’s father, said, “Before the family or police could arrive, school authorities washed away the blood stains. They also cut the wires of the CCTV cameras. This is not just negligence, but a deliberate attempt to escape accountability.”
Mgmt, police face anger
The protesters had a verbal spat with the police officials on the spot and accused the police of adopting ‘delay tactics’.
Assistant commissioner of police (ACP East), Sumit Sood confirmed the details of the incident. “The van entered the school premises and stopped for the children to disembark. Without an attendant, Amaira got off and was struck when the driver moved the van forward. Her face and head were crushed. The school took her to a nearby private hospital, but doctors declared her dead,” he said.
The incident triggered furore as the grieving family members and concerned parents later staged protests outside Division Number 7 police station. The victim’s kin expressed dissatisfaction with the FIR, claiming the police had failed to highlight that the accident occurred inside the school premises. Protesters sought stringent action against the driver and the school management for their ‘repeated lapses’ in student safety.
The protest continued late into the evening. “How can a school wash away blood and tamper with CCTV after a child dies on their watch? This shows their utter irresponsibility and disregard for human life,” said a protesting family member.
School principal DP Guleria described the incident as ‘tragic’ and expressed the management’s condolences for the family. He said the girl lost balance while getting off the van. “The police have taken the CCTV footage and are investigating to determine how this unfortunate accident occurred. Five teachers immediately rushed the girl to Fortis Hospital, but sadly, she could not be saved,” he added.
Guleria said the van don’t belong to school but were allowed inside in view of security and safety of the students.
Wider safety concerns
The incident has raised questions about the safety protocols in schools and the accountability of managements. The absence of an attendant on a school bus, mandatory under safety guidelines, directly led to this tragedy.
Kamal Soi, member of the National Road Safety Council, said the police and transport departments are not implementing Safe School Vahan Policy. “I will again approach Punjab and Haryana high court to get it implemented,” said Soi.
“The policy is aimed at ensuring the safety of school children while travelling to and from school. In Punjab, the policy was proposed to the government to ensure that students are safe in carpools and that their privacy or security isn’t compromised,” he added.
