Child dead after delivery truck hits school van in Delhi

Eyewitness accounts reveal both vehicles were speeding but local police officials have not confirmed this.

Zee News Photo

New Delhi: In a tragic incident which left a child dead, a delivery truck hit a school van on Tuesday near Tarapur Chowk in Model Town here.

The incident happened in the afternoon just when the Maruti Eeco van - with ten students inside - had just left the school premises. The van was hit from behind by a delivery truck which was reportedly overloaded with goods. Such was the impact of the collision that the van flipped at least thrice before coming to a halt a short distance away. An eight-year-old was rushed to the trauma center of a nearby hospital but was declared brought dead. Other children in the van received grave injuries and are being treated.

The driver of the school van is also grievously injured.

According to eyewitness accounts, both vehicles were guilty of speeding which resulted in the tragic accident. Local police officials though have not confirmed this and are investigating the matter. The driver of the delivery truck, who was also injured, has been arrested.

Questions are once again being raised on just why school vans are packed to the brim with children despite strict guidelines against it. Maruti Eeco, a car with questionable safety structure, can at best accommodate six to seven passengers.