Twenty six people including 22 students and two teachers of St. Xavier’s College Ranchi sustained injuries on Tuesday when the bus in which they were travelling turned turtle on the outskirts of Gangtok in Himalayan State Sikkim. However, in the accident there were no casualties as students and teachers sustained injuries. Sources said that the accident occurred as the bus’ brakes, in which they were travelling, failed.
Governor Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Education Minister Jagarnath Mahto, BJP legislative party leader and former chief minister Babulal Marandi and others have expressed their concern over the road accident and have urged the Sikkim government to provide all help and assistance to the students.
Soren tweeted that he had spoken to Sikkim chief minister Prem Singh Tamang in connection with the accident. “I’ve spoken with the Sikkim CM. Adequate arrangements are being made for medical treatment of the children. I’ve directed RC to be ready to airlift the children. We are unable to airlift them right now due to inclement weather. So arrangements have been made there,” tweeted Soren.
The incident happened in front of Seven Mile Tadong of Orange village of Sikkim. Apart from the students, the driver, a teacher and the Khalasi also sustained injuries in the incident. The injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital.
The students had gone to Sikkim for an excursion. A total of 25 people including the driver were boarding the bus when the incident took place.
The principal of the college Father Nabor confirmed the accident saying information coming to him suggests that the accident took place after the brake of the bus failed.
Sources said that sixty nine students from the college were on an excursion. They reached Sikkim on June 23. On Tuesday, the students were en route to Siliguri in West Bengal in three buses. They were scheduled to board a Jharkhand-bound train from New Jalpaiguri station in the evening.
One of the buses, carrying 21 students and two teachers, skidded off the road and landed on one side near the administrative building of the Sikkim Central University at Ranipool. The injured people were rushed to a local hospital. The doctors told the police that some of them needed medical tests as they may have sustained internal injuries.
The Sikkim Government as directed by Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang is providing all necessary help and assistance. The Sikkim Chief Minister is personally monitoring the situation.