World | India
Thousands grieve death of children hit by van
Agencies Tens of thousands of people converged on the little village Irikkur in Kerala's Kannur district yesterday to share the grief of the family members of nine school children who were fatally mowed down by a van on Thursday evening.
- By Akhel Mathew, Correspondent
- Published: 23:46 December 5, 2008
Thiruvananthapuram: Agencies Tens of thousands of people converged on the little village Irikkur in Kerala's Kannur district yesterday to share the grief of the family members of nine school children who were fatally mowed down by a van on Thursday evening.
The children were returning after school when the van rammed into them, killing nine children, eight of them girls, and injuring a dozen other children. All the children were aged below 10 and were studying in classes 1 to 3.
The injured have been admitted to various hospitals, and the condition of three students is reportedly serious.
It is yet to be determined how the accident took place, with different versions doing the round about the driver having slept at the wheel, and one of sheer reckless driving, among others.
Followed traffic rules
The driver, Abdul Kabeer, who is known to have been doing several odd jobs including driving, was quickly taken into custody by the police.
The accident was particularly heart-rending considering that the little children had followed traffic rules perfectly, walking on the right side of the road and in a single file so as not to occupy road space.
The van had swerved to the right of the road and ploughed through the students.
Some eye-witnesses said the vehicle dragged the children for about 20 metres before it came to a halt. All the victims were students of the Sri Narayana Lower Primary School in Padayamkodu near Irikkur.
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