The Sreekandapuram police have registered a case of culpable homicide against the driver involved in the school bus accident at Valakkai, Kannur, Kerala, which claimed the life of a 11-year-old girl and injured several others students.
The police registered the case against the driver under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 281, 125 (a), 106(1). The FIR states the vehicle was driven recklessly and without caution, leading to the accident.
The accident occurred around 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday (January 1, 2025) as the bus descended a slope. The driver claimed he lost control due to brake failure, but the Motor Vehicles department (MVD) has refuted this, confirming in its preliminary report that the brakes and engine were fully functional. The MVD concluded that driver negligence, coupled with excessive speed and the unscientific construction of the road, were the primary causes of the accident.
Though the school claimed that the vehicle has fitness certificate, the sources in Motor Vehicle department said that the fitness certificate expired on December 29, 2024.
Further suspicions have surfaced, with local residents alleging the driver, Nizam, was intoxicated at the time. The MVD has urged the police to conduct a medical examination. Investigators also suspect that the driver may have been using his mobile phone, with a WhatsApp status reportedly updated at the time of the crash.
The MVD has initiated steps to suspend the driver’s licence, while legal and forensic examinations continue to ascertain the full details surrounding the incident.
Published – January 02, 2025 10:22 am IST
