Four children burnt alive as school van catches fire in Punjab; CM orders probe

In a tragic incident, four children were charred to death when an illegally run, old and ramshackle mini van of a private school carrying students caught fire in Punjab's Sangrur district on Saturday, police said.

The accident took place on the Longowal-Sidsaachar road, they said, adding 12 children were in the van at the time of mishap.

While eight children were rescued from the burning van by people working in nearby fields, four others, including an around three-year-old girl, were burnt alive in the vehicle, they added.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh ordered a magisterial enquiry into the incident.

"Very sad to learn of the news from Sangrur where we lost 4 children because their school van caught fire. Injured have been rushed to the hospital. DC and SSP Sangrur are on the spot and I have ordered a magisterial enquiry. Guilty will be strictly punished," he tweeted

The children were returning home from school when the incident occurred, they said.

Sangrur Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori, who visited the spot, told media that police have registered a case under Section 304 of the IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) against the school principal, its management and the owner and driver of the van.

"Preliminary inquiry indicates that the van was in condemned condition and was being run illegally as per a report of the District Transport Officer (DTO). If the DTO or any official of his office is found guilty he will be chargesheeted," he said.

He said the school situated at Longowal village was recently shifted to a new building on the outskirts of the village.

"The school has a temporary affiliation with the Punjab School Education Board while the van being used had been condemned and was without relevant documents," he said.

Sangrur Civil Hospital senior surgeon Dr Raj Kumar, said no child was admitted to the government hospitals in the district.

"The children who survived were taken away by their families from the spot," he said.

Police sources said the van was of 1990's petrol model and was unfit to run on the road. The driver of the van ran away from the spot as soon as the vehicle caught fire, leaving children trapped inside, they said.

Punjab Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla, who is also the Sangrur MLA, told reporters at the accident spot that the private 'Simran Public School' had purchased the "very old van" on Friday.

He also announced an ex-gratia of Rs five lakh to each of the victims' families.

Sangrur MP and AAP leader Bhagwant Mann, who visited the spot, told media that the van was put to use by the school for the first day on Saturday.   

He demanded registration of murder case against school officials and owner of the van.

He said the victims included an around three-year-old girl, who went to the school for the first time.

He said that among the dead two are from one family.

       Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party and SAD condemned the incident and expressed condolence for the victim's families.

"I strongly condemn the usage of LPG-powered school van which caused this havoc. Strict action needed against school and civil administration," Punjab AAP chief Harpal Singh Cheema wrote on his twitter handle.

Meanwhile, several villagers, including parents of the victims have staged a sit-in at the spot and refused to take bodies till action is taken against guilty.

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