Overloaded auto rickshaw topples, leaving students injured
by Ekta ChaubeyAn auto-rickshaw carrying students lost control and overturned as the auto-rickshaw was turning to refuel at a nearby petrol pump. This resulted in injuries to eight students, two of whom were seriously hurt.
The incident took place on the Damoh-Sagar State Highway near Sagar Naka Chowki under the Rural Police Station area in Damoh district, Madhya Pradesh on December 9.
The visuals show the vehicle traveling at high speed and being overloaded with more students than it can safely carry. As the auto overturns, several students are thrown out of the vehicle. Fortunately, standbyers rushed to rescue and evacuate the students.
The girls, who were traveling from Bansa Tarkheda village to attend JPB School in Damoh, had boarded the auto from a nearby village, Devran. The auto was on its way to drop them off at school when the tragedy occurred.
The accident was captured by a CCTV camera at the petrol pump, showing the sudden loss of control and the chaotic scene that followed. Local residents quickly responded by transporting the injured students to the district hospital using private vehicles. The students were treated for their injuries, and those with minor wounds were sent home. However, two of the girls, Shalini Thakur and Sanjana Thakur, suffered more serious injuries and were later taken to a private hospital for further treatment.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the accident and whether the auto-rickshaw was operating beyond its intended capacity. Meanwhile, the community has expressed concern about the safety of schoolchildren using overloaded autos for transportation.