School Bus Floor Collapse Claims 9-Year-Old in Agra; Driver–School Owner Arrested for Negligence and Culpable Homicide

Agra: Several days after a tragic accident in which a nine-year-old schoolgirl died after falling through the damaged floor of a moving school bus, the Agra Police have arrested the vehicle’s driver on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and criminal negligence.

Investigators later discovered that the person driving the bus at the time of the accident was the school’s owner himself.

The accused has been identified as Narendra (35), who runs the school that operated the bus. Police officials said the vehicle involved in the incident has been taken into custody as part of the investigation.

According to Senior Sub-Inspector Shivajeet of Etmadpur police station, the initial information provided to the authorities was misleading. “At first, we were told that another individual had been driving the bus when the accident occurred.

However, during the course of the investigation, it became clear that the school owner, Narendra, himself was behind the steering wheel at the time of the incident. Based on the evidence collected, he has now been arrested,” the officer said.

Police added that the possible involvement of another individual mentioned in the complaint is still being examined, and further action will depend on the findings of the ongoing inquiry.

Victim Was a Class I Student

The victim, Naina, was a Class I student who had boarded the school bus to return home after classes. According to the complaint filed by her father, Bani Singh, the tragedy unfolded on March 11 while the bus was transporting students back to their homes.

The family alleged that the driver was operating the vehicle at an excessive speed and without proper caution. During the journey, the child reportedly slipped through a damaged section of the bus floor, which had already been weakened due to poor maintenance.

As the bus was still moving, the girl fell onto the road and was run over by the vehicle’s wheels, sustaining severe injuries.

The injured child was immediately taken to a nearby hospital, but doctors declared her dead upon arrival, leaving the family devastated.

Allegations of Unsafe Vehicle

Members of Naina’s family accused the school management of recklessly using an old and poorly maintained vehicle for transporting children. They claimed that the bus had structural defects and was not fit for carrying school students, yet it continued to operate daily.

Naina’s aunt, Akansha Devi, strongly criticised the school authorities, saying the tragedy could have been prevented if proper safety standards had been followed.

“The responsibility for this heartbreaking incident rests entirely with the school administration and the driver.

How could they allow children to travel in a vehicle whose floor was already damaged and unsafe?” she questioned.

Driver’s Carelessness Highlighted

According to relatives of the victim, two other girls from the same family — including Naina’s elder sister — were also travelling in the bus at the time of the accident.

They reportedly told the family that the driver was driving rashly and without due attention.

Family members alleged that the driver’s lack of alertness and delayed reaction worsened the situation.

Even after several children shouted and alerted him that Naina had fallen from the vehicle, he did not stop the bus immediately. Instead, he continued driving for some distance before eventually halting the vehicle.

By the time the bus stopped, precious minutes had been lost, which may have reduced the chances of saving the child’s life.

Investigators say this apparent disregard for safety and failure to respond promptly form a crucial part of the negligence charges against the accused.

Pattern of Similar Incidents

The Agra tragedy comes barely days after a similar accident in Kasganj district, highlighting serious concerns about the safety of school transport vehicles in parts of Uttar Pradesh.

On March 1, a seven-year-old girl lost her life in Kasganj under almost identical circumstances.

The child, a kindergarten student, reportedly fell through a broken section of the floor of a moving school bus while returning home from school.

She was travelling with three other children, including her elder brother, when the accident occurred.

The recurrence of such incidents has raised serious questions about the maintenance of school buses, the enforcement of safety regulations, and the accountability of school authorities responsible for transporting children.

Police officials say the Agra case remains under investigation, and authorities are examining whether additional charges or further arrests may be necessary depending on the outcome of the inquiry.

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