Parents seek CBI probe into Nurpur school bus mishap

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, October 19

The parents of the children who died in the ill-fated Nurpur school bus accident have demanded a CBI inquiry into the case. Mothers, who lost their loved ones in April this year, were in tears while speaking at a press conference here today.

The mothers said that they had written letters to the wives of all the legislatures of Himachal Pradesh. “In the letters we have urged the wives of legislators that they were also mothers and should help in getting a CBI inquiry instituted into the case”, they said.

“We want to know the reason of the accident that took away lives of our loved ones. The reason given by the government agencies is not satisfactory”, said a mother Meena Kumari quoting the letter.

The other mothers who spoke were Suraksha Devi, Manoj Kumari, Rekha Devi, Reema Devi, Sarla Devi, Mangal Devi, Kamla Devi and Reenu. Earlier in the month of September, the parents of the deceased children had organized a unique protest, rubbing their nose all the way on the road leading to the district headquarters.

As many as 30 persons, including 27 children below the age of 15 years, were killed on April 9 this year after the private school bus they were travelling in rolled down a gorge in Nurpur area. The investigating agencies had blamed the deceased driver for the accident. The affected families have rejected the report.

Police was also blamed for the reports prepared by them. They have been demanding a CBI inquiry but their demand was yet to accepted.

27 schoolchildren died in April

• Thirty persons, including 27 schoolchildren, were killed on April 9 this year after the private school bus they were travelling in rolled down a gorge in Nurpur area. 
• The investigation agencies had blamed the deceased driver for the accident.
• The affected families have rejected the report.