A roadside peepal tree got uprooted amid rains and fell on a school bus, killing one and injuring four students inside the vehicle in Mumbai's Chembur area this afternoon. The incident occurred at 2.58 pm near a building on Road No. 11. The school bus carried a total of 12 children.
Fire Brigade and other agencies immediately rushed to the spot and evacuated all 12 students, including the two who were trapped in the school bus. Of them, five injured students were taken to the nearby hospital for treatment, a civic official said. A civic official said the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) immediately reached the spot and launched a rescue operation.
According to the hospital's medical officer, four of the injured students were in stable condition, while 11-year-old Vihan Srivastava, who had sustained serious injuries, was declared dead around 4.30 pm.
The bus was ferrying students of Universal High School, the officials said.
School Bus Owners' Association (SBOA), a body of school bus owners, claimed that 11 students were injured in the incident.
"This incident cannot simply be brushed aside as an unfortunate act of nature. It raises serious questions about civic preparedness, preventive maintenance, and the accountability of the authorities responsible for public safety," said Anil Garg, president of SBOA.
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