Two students mowed down in front of city Kendriya Vidyalaya

The Kendriya Vidyalaya had a bloody opening for the academic year when a DCM van allegedly driven by a drunken man on Monday mowed down two girl students even as police personnel watched in Uppal crossroads at around 3 pm.

The school had opened for the academic year on Monday.

T. Srinitya, 10, a Class VI student, died on the spot, while Akhila, 8, who studied in Class III, succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment. Several others were injured.

Their blood-soaked schoolbags and books lay strewn on the road after the mishap.

The scene was reminiscent of the accident near St. Ann’s School in Secunderabad a few years ago, where a student of the school was killed on the road.

Police personnel were present on the other side of the Uppal circle, near where the school is located.

There appeared to be no effort to regulate traffic when children are crossing the busy road which connects to the Vijayawada and Warangal highways.

Police tried to palm off the responsibility to the GHMC and school authorities, saying prevention of accidents required “more coordination”.

Eyewitnesses said the recklessly-driven van was coming in from LB Nagar and rammed into the student and parent, moments after they stepped out of the school and were walking across the road near the Ambedkar statue.

Local people caught hold of the driver of a speeding DCM truck and handed him over to the Uppal police.

“He seemed to be drunk,” said an eyewitness. The vehicle was set ablaze.

Srinitya was walking towards her house in Saraswathinagar along with her elder sister, Sri Mega, also a student of the school, when the van hit her.

“The DCM ran over Srinitya, while her sister was flung a few yards away,” said her cousin Bharath who collected her blood-stained books from the road.

“Sri Mega ran all the way to her home and broke down before her mother. Cops were there when it happened”. Srinitya’s father, Mr Gyaneshwar Rao, runs a car rental store in Secunderabad.

Akhila was walking home along with her brother Nikhil and mother Lavanya when the van knocked her down. Lavanya and Nikhil were flung a few yards away in the impact.

The girl’s uncle, Mr Dinesh, said local people rushed her to Kamineni hospital but she died while undergoing treatment. Her friend Anusha’s leg was broken but she is out of danger.

Asked about the inability of police personnel to prevent the slaughter, the Malkajgiri assistant commissioner of police, Ms P.V. Padmaja Reddy, said regulation of traffic required coordination of several agencies including GHMC and traffic wing since heavy vehicles plied in most of the roads in Cyberabad commissionerate.

“The school management has been intimated to work out a system to ensure the safety of the children,” she said. “We are working out alternative arrangements with the departments concerned to prevent such incidents.”

Funeral turns anti-KCR rally

The pro-Telangana agitator Siripuram Yadaiah who set himself ablaze, succumbed to his injuries on Saturday night at Apollo DRDO Hospital.

He was buried at Nagaram village in Maheswaram on Sunday morning.

Angry villagers, Telangana agitators and students raised slogans against the Telangana Rashtra Samiti president, Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao, and his nephew, Mr T. Harish Rao, alleging that they are keeping away from the movement at a crucial time.

Hundreds of mourners who had gathered in the village alleged that the TRS’ student wing did not extend support to the siege of the Assembly called by the joint action committees of both Telangana students Osmania University.

They demanded that Mr Harish Rao leave the place. Shouts of “KCR down, down!” echoed during the last rites of Yadaiah.

There is now a growing feeling among agitators that political leaders are playing games with the lives of students.

Politicians from all political parties were condemned by the crowds gathered at the burial.

They raised slogans against Telugu Desam MLA, Mr P. Mahendar Reddy and former Congress MLA, Mr A. Kodanda Reddy. They demanded the politicians go back as they had failed to resign for the cause of Telangana.

The JAC convener, Prof. Kodandaram, TRS leaders, Mr N. Narasimha Reddy and Mr Padma Devender were present.