Eleven children, driver dead in major school bus accident

Ambala: Eleven students, all of them under eight years of age, were killed along with the driver of their school van on Monday when it collided with a truck in dense fog near here, police said.

At least 20 students were injured in the accident on the Saha-Shahbad Road, 25 km from Ambala city. They were rushed to hospitals in Ambala and Chandigarh.

While 16 children are being treated at the Government Medical College and Hospital in Chandigarh, 45 km from here, three others are being treated at the Military Hospital at Ambala cantonment.

The school van was bringing the students to Arjun Public School near Saha town, 15 km from here, when the truck coming from the opposite side collided with it in dense fog.

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has ordered a magisterial probe into the accident that took place near Bhita village.

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The state government has announced financial assistance of Rs 100,000 to the kin of those killed and Rs 25,000 to those seriously injured.

Hooda went to the hospitals in Chandigarh and Ambala to enquire about the well-being of the injured students and console family members of the victims.

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The Ambala district administration has ordered that all government, government-aided and private schools would now function from 10 am to 3.30 pm till January 31 in view of morning fog in the region.