Seven-year-old boy run over by minibus on school premises

The driver did not notice the boy and drove the vehicle in a negligent manner, say the police

A seven-year-old boy was run over by a school minibus on the premises on Monday in Alwarthirunagar.

The victim has been identified as V.J. Theeksheth, 7, son of Vetrivel and Jennifer, of Virugambakkam. He was studying in Sri Venkateshwara Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Alwarthirunagar.

The boy, along with other students, got down from the bus at 8.30 a.m. While the other children went to their classes from the rear side of the bus, Theeksheth was going in front of the bus. The driver moved the vehicle without noticing the boy and hit him. The boy fell and came under the front wheel of the vehicle.

The boy was bleeding and struggling for life. The school staff rushed him to a nearby hospital and he was later referred to another private hospital where he was declared brought dead . His body was sent to the Government Royapettah Hospital.

Parents of the boy rushed to the school. The police personnel from Valasaravakkam station inspected the accident spot. The police detained the driver of the minibus, S. Poongavanam, 64, and the vehicle was taken to the police station.

Deputy Commissioners of Police J. Meena (T. Nagar) and Deepak (St. Thomas Mount) and officers of the School Education and Transport departments conducted further investigation. Security was tightened at the school. The police interrogated the principal and other staff along with the driver at the station.

A senior police officer said: “After scrutiny of the CCTV footage and interrogation with the staff, we found that the boy was knocked down by the minibus when the driver drove forward negligently. The caretaker was behind the bus helping two children. We have booked a case for causing death due to negligence.”