CHENNAI: A 15-year-old Class 10 student died after falling from a private bus while on his way to attend a board exam practice test on February 25 (Wednesday) in Pudukkottai district.
The deceased, Puviyarasan, a resident of VOC Nagar in Alangudi taluk of Pudukkottai district, was studying at Thooya Valanar Higher Secondary School, a government-aided institution in the Venkatakulam area.
According to Daily Thanthi, he regularly travelled to school by bus, though his parents occasionally dropped him off on a two-wheeler.
On the day of the incident, the bus was reportedly crowded, carrying over 50 passengers, including school students, workers, and traders. He was standing on the rear footboard near the back steps.
When the bus was making a turn at a bend near Kuppakudi in the Mangalapuram area close to Alangudi, he allegedly lost his balance and fell from the vehicle. He sustained severe head and body injuries.
The driver immediately stopped the bus, and passengers alerted the 108 ambulance service. He was rushed to the Government Hospital in Alangudi, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Police later sent the body to the Pudukkottai Government Medical College Hospital for post-mortem examination.
The Alangudi police have registered a case and seized the private bus. The driver has been arrested and is being questioned.
Following the incident, residents alleged that private buses operating from Alangudi often travel at high speeds. They have urged authorities to enforce speed regulations and increase the frequency of government buses during school hours to prevent overcrowding.
Meanwhile, Puviyarasan’s parents, who had sent him off to school that morning after offering their blessings, rushed to the hospital upon hearing the news. They broke down on seeing their son’s body.