34 students, teachers injured in dumper-van collision on Northern Bypass

Dumper driver taken into custody, both vehicles impounded

KARACHI: At least 34 students and teachers were injured on Saturday in a tragic accident on Northern Bypass. Five of the injured were said to be in critical condition.

Witnesses and rescue volunteers said that the accident took place when a speedy dumper hit a coaster carrying over 50 students and teachers of a private school, who were en route a farmhouse for a picnic in the Gadap area from their school in Surjani Town.



"The coaster had turned turtle and was on the roadside when we reached the site," narrated Muhammad Asif, a volunteer of the Chhipa Welfare Association. "The victims, particularly students, were cryingin pain. They were in a state of shock," he said.

Later, more volunteers and police officials also joined them and participated in the rescue operation. The victims were initially shifted to a nearby private hospital from where most of the victims were discharged after receiving first aid treatment, however, at least five of them were later moved to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre as the doctors termed their condition critical.

The critically injured students included Rida, Aliza, Hifza, Afshan and Shama.



"Most of the students had internal injuries, especially on their faces and abdomen," said Dr Fahim of Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. "We have shifted two of the students into the intensive-care unit."

The students and teachers injured in the accident belonged to Surjani Town, from where they were going to a farmhouse for a picnic. The injured students were aged between 12 and 16 years.

The school administration said that they made arrangements for the picnic following the end of the students' examinations.

"There were two more coasters comprising students and teachers, but both the coasters had crossed the area before the accident took place," said the school administration. "We had no idea about how the accident took place but it seems that the accident occurred when a speedy dumper hit the coaster."



The students and teachers on the three coasters were on their way to Gadap Town from Surjani via Gulshan-e-Maymar and the accident took place near Abbas Kut on Northern Bypass.

An extra contingent of law enforcers reached the scene. The coaster driver managed to escape the scene following the accident. However, the police have arrested the dumper driver and impounded the dumper and coaster.

The arrested driver, Ameer, is a resident of Korangi and was driving a truck loaded with reti bajri.



SHO Ali Akbar said that apparently the dumper, which was coming from the opposite side, hit the coaster which suggested that the dumper driver was responsible for the accident. He said that a few of the students went unconscious following the accident, however, the volunteers rescued them by breaking the coaster windows before shifting them to the hospital.

No case was registered as the officer said that a case would be registered after initial investigations were made and statements of the students, teachers and drivers were recorded.