22 students hurt after van topples in Dindigul

According to police sources, the incident occurred around 9 am when the van in which the students of a private school in the district were travelling suddenly skidded off a narrow road and overturned. The students were heading to their school at Mullipadi.

Among those injured, twelve students were admitted to the Dindigul Government Hospital. Among them, eleven–year-old girl student Banumathi suffered fracture on her left arm, while Kausalya, another eleven-year-old, was hurt on her left shoulder. Ten others with minor injuries were treated as out-patients in the hospital, sources said.

Investigations revealed that van driver Pandeeswaran of Karuthanampatti had lost his control before the vehicle skidded off the road. Police personnel attached to the Vadamadurai station then inspected the accident spot. Emergency service personnel arrived at the scene, rescued the injured students and took them to the hospital.

Based on a complaint lodged by Maruthamuthu, father of injured student Banumathi, the Vadamadurai police have filed a case under Sections 279, 337 and 338 of the IPC. Pandeeswaran, the van driver was subsequently arrested, sources said.