UAE | Traffic and Transport

Inattentive driver crushes a young life in Sharjah

A nine- year-old Indian school boy was killed in a road accident on Monday evening.

  • By Sunita Menon, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 12:33 September 16, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • A nine- year-old Indian school boy was killed in a road accident on Monday evening.
  • Image Credit: Supplied Picture
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Sharjah: Holding tightly on to his elder sister's hand, little Rickie had just crossed the street that ran behind the building where he stayed with his parents opposite the Buheira police station in Sharjah.

He was on his way to his tutor. It was around 5pm.

His sister Rini was back home and for a while it seemed like a routine Monday evening at the Mathew Varghese household. But a telephone call an hour later changed everything for the family forever.

Nine-year-old Rickie Mathew Varghese, a pupil of Delhi Private School, Sharjah had met with an accident under the building where he went to attend his tutorials.

A lorry carrying cement mixture, while reversing from the construction site located behind the building where Rickie went to attend his tutorials, ran over him.

Sharjah Police confirmed the accident and said the Indian driver was not paying attention while he was reversing the lorry and ran over the boy by accident.

According the police, the driver said he was unable to hear any cries because of the engine's noise, and he did not expect any children to be around in the area because it is a construction site.

The driver is in custody at Buheira Police Station, and his case will be transferred within the next two days to the Sharjah Public Prosecution.

Grief

Family and well-wishers yesterday gathered at the Mathew Varghese residence since morning on Tuesday. Tears welled up in the eyes of everyone present as Rickie's mother and sister Rini were crying uncontrollably.

When Gulf News visited their residence on Tuesday morning, Rickie's father who is a regional executive with the UAE Exchange, was busy with completing formalities necessary to get his son's body.

According to family sources, the family in all probability will carry out the burial at their native place in the southern Indian state of Kerala. A memorial service was also held at the Mathew Varghese residenceon Tuesday afternoon.

Rickie's friends, along with the rest of the faculty and pupils observed a minute's silence at school on Tuesday. A special assembly will also take place at the school premises on Wednesday.

Repeated announcements were also made on the school public address system by school principal Vandana Marwaha, on the importance of being alert and careful while crossing the street or lanes.

Speaking to Gulf News, she said the school was shocked when it learnt of Rickie's death.

She said: "They are such lovely parents. We have a long association with them. Their elder daughter Rini is a Grade 11 pupil. In such situation one feels so inadequate. The loss is irreparable. I got to learn of the accident at about 8pm on Monday."

Support

Marwaha said the school will provide a support system for Rini, who was the last one to see young Rickie off to his tutorial.

"Even the driver of the school bus which uses to pick and drop Rickie off to school came to pay his condolences," she said.

She said since Rickie was in the primary school the school did not divulge details of the accident to the pupils.

"At the primary level of schooling, such situations are handled delicately. We do not want the little ones to get traumatised and scared. I have also decided to send a note to all parents whose children attend our primary school not to send their children to tutors. There is no need as the children are so young," said Marwaha.

Timeline of pupils involved in UAE road accidents in the last two years

  • July 28, 2008
    A father in attempts to save his injured son rushed to the hospital, hitting a 10-year old boy riding a bicycle. The father gathered the injured boy and drove to the hospital and was hit by a 28-year old Gulf national, killing the boy and the Gulf national on the spot in Al Ain.
  • May 9, 2008
    Three people, including a five-year-old child were burnt to death in a car accident on Al Wasl Road, Dubai.
  • May 1, 2008
    A two-year-old Pakistani girl N.H.M. died after she was run over by a truck while playing outside her home in Al Sarooj district, Al Ain.
  • April 22, 2008
    A four-year-old Aathish, a student of KG-1 in Abu Dhabi, died in a school bus after he had apparently suffocated.
  • April 13, 2008
    Nine-year-old Emirati boy died and five other family members sustained serious injuries when a heavy vehicle rammed into their car on Al Rams road in Ras Al Khaimah.
  • April 7, 2008
    M.K., a two-year-old Emirati killed in the Al Foah district in Al Ain. Child was playing in front of his home when a speeding car knocked him down.
  • April 6, 2008
    A negligent school bus driver crushed to death W.A.G, a three-year-old kindergarten student, when the child stumbled and fell in Al Ain.
  • March 6, 2008
    Five people were killed, including two children, in accidents. One man and two children were killed on the spot when a speeding vehicle hit another car which rammed against a palm tree in Abu Dhabi.
  • March 2, 2008
    A school bus ran over a five-year-old girl moments after she had got off the vehicle, killing her on the spot. Yasmin Ramadan from Egypt was returning from her evening classes in Garhoud, Dubai.
  • February 14, 2008
    Two schoolgirls died after being run over by a car after getting off a school bus in RAK.
  • July 10, 2007
    A four-year-old girl died after she was run over by the school bus which brought her home from school at Al Riffa area, Khor Fakkan.
  • May 14, 2007
    10 year-old boy who was hit by a car and died at the school's parking lot in Sharjah.
  • May 13, 2007
    A 10-year-old schoolboy sitting on a kerb inside his school was hit and killed by a woman who had come to pick up her daughter in the Al Azra area, Sharjah.
  • May 2, 2007
    A Filipina schoolgirl was killed when she was run over by a car inside the school parking area in Far Eastern Private School in Sharjah.
  • February 12, 2007
    An 11-year-old student has regained 75 per cent of her respiratory function and passed a critical stage after being hit by a car as she ran to catch up with her school bus in UAQ.
  • January 18, 2007
    Eight-year-old Rafay Ali was hit by a car, suffered three fractures.

With inputs from Mariam Al Serkal, Staff Reporter

Have your say
Do you think speed limits are proving to be ineffective? Should heavy vehicle traffic be regulated on inner roads too? Do you think such incidents occur due to the mistake of reckless motorists or careless driving? Or is it due to the lack of traffic regulations? Tell us at letter2editor@gulfnews.com or fill in the form bellow to send your comments.


Your comments


Such accidents occur due to the mistake of reckless motorists and careless driving. During last 3 years the level of tolerance among the drivers has declined
Mohd
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: September 17, 2008, 08:49

Very sad to hear this kind of news. I am working in Dubai, for the past 14 years I am with my wife and three kids in Dubai. Basically our UAE government is giving maximum support from their side, for controlling the traffic, new roads, bridges, cameras for the speed limit etc. still we are facing such incidents.
Lukose
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 17, 2008, 08:47

These Accidents happen due to the negligence of the Drivers and at all costs must be stopped from happening again. We need to understand the pain of losing someone for others and ourselves and to become more responsible people on the road
Ajoy
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 17, 2008, 08:31

In case of heavy traffic, reversing should never be allowed with out the guidance of a second person. Children are children and they can not blamed for not hearing the sound of reversing siren, if at all, it is installed on a heavy vehicle.
Ayaz
Doha,Qatar
Posted: September 17, 2008, 08:19

This is too much; it is time for awareness not only to drivers but for the students also from parent/teachers side. It is not correct to blame always to the drivers. Parents must be more cautious.
Sasidharan
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: September 17, 2008, 08:12

In cases where people are run over by vehicles, drivers alone are not to be blamed. Victims also are responsible for the accidents.
Khaleel
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 17, 2008, 08:00

Heavy vehicles must be baned during the day in Sharjah From 6 am to 10 pm Govt of Sharjah must restrict them.
Adnan
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: September 17, 2008, 07:33

One suggestion is that, one person apart from driver, must be there to guide the driver properly while reversing. This rule must be applied compulsorily and without compromise. Because, many time kids do not understand whether vehicle is taking reverse or not?
Sandeep
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: September 17, 2008, 07:00

The speed limits are proving ineffective, plus other factors like careless driving, carelessness of parents, heavy vehicles on inner roads leads to many accidents...
dilnaz
alain,UAE
Posted: September 17, 2008, 03:32

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