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Journalism of Courage
Shrieks and screams filled the air at Mudhan village as inconsolable parents,relatives and residents paid their last respects to five children,who lost their lives in the school bus accident on Monday.
There were heart rending scenes as the funeral pyres of the five children were lit together. There was shock and disbelief all around as the mishap occurred minutes after the children had boarded the ill-fated school bus. People of nearby villages also made their way to Mudhan to pay their respects. The village is among the worst affected in the tragedy as besides the five children it lost,another child from here succumbed to his injuries in the evening.
I will not go home as there is nothing for me. I lost both my children and now what is left for me, said Jaswindher Singh,the grieving father of Jaskarandeep Singh and Sukhmandeep Singh. Both his children had been born years after his marriage.
I have lost my only son in the accident and now there is nothing for us, said the inconsolable mother of Gurjoban (4). A few parents were critical of the driver. This tragedy was waiting to happen as many a time we told the driver to slow down but he never listened. We also complained to the school authorities but of no use, said Narinder Singh,UK-based NRI and brother of Jaswinder, who had adopted Jaskarandeep Singh.
There were similar scenes at nearby Talwandi Bhairaon village. I still recollect the happy face he makes when I see him off, said Gurmit Kaur of Talwandi,the mother of Kiranvir Singh (10).
Norms flouted
The ill-fated school bus was in violation of a number guidelines,underlined by the Supreme Court pertaining to school buses. The tempo traveller had no indication that it was a school bus with no sign either in the front or the back and if it had been hired,as per norms,it is mandatory for the vehicle to carry signs denoting that it was a school bus. Further,while the vehicle was a 12 -seater,there were 24 children already inside and more were waiting to be picked up.
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