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Journalism of Courage
AT LEAST seven school students died and over 35 others sustained injuries Wednesday after the bus they were travelling in fell off a cliff near a village in Manipur about 55 km from state capital Imphal, officials said. All those killed were girls aged 14-17.
The incident occurred around 11 am near Longsai part-III village in Noney district when students from the Yairipok Thambalnu Higher Secondary School in Thoubal district were travelling in two buses on an excursion to the scenic Khoupum valley.
Officials said the driver of one of the buses, mostly carrying girl students, lost control of the vehicle at a sharp curve with no guard rails.
Five students died on the spot and two more succumbed to injuries at the Bishnupur district hospital, about 25 km from the site. The injured were referred to hospitals in Imphal.
“I heard a loud noise. Seconds later, I heard people crying and calling for help,” said a resident of Longsai.
Following the accident, the state’s Education department banned school excursions till January 10. “This is an accident-prone zone and it’s the third road mishap here this month. But the authorities have not addressed the issue,” said another resident of Longsai.
Official sources said the death toll may rise with five other students in critical condition.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of those who died, Rs 1 lakh each for the seriously injured, and Rs 50,000 each for those with minor injuries. He also announced that the government would bear the medical expenses of those injured.
Taking to Twitter, the Chief Minister posted that he “visited the injured students in the accident that happened today at the Old Cachar Road” and “met the families of the students who passed away” in the accident.
Singh also acknowledged the timely response of Longsai residents in the rescue operation.
