Beijing: A disgruntled man drove a car into a group of students during their lunch break in north China`s Hebei province, injuring 13 of them, officials said Tuesday.
The man mowed down 23 students of Fengning No. 1 Middle School with his car in Manchu Autonomous County of Fengning in Hebei province, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
His identity has not been made public.
Of the 13 students in hospital, one has a skull fracture, the bones in another`s feet are crushed and one is suffering from broken blood vessels in his eyeballs.
The 10 others sustained minor injuries, officials said.
An initial probe cleared the man of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
However, the police probe found that the man had a gas tank and firecrackers stored in the car and he attempted to set off an explosion after hitting the students.
According to police records, the man has a history of lodging complaints. Three years ago his daughter was murdered.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear, as the man has not yet opened up to investigators, police officials said.
Attacks by frustrated and disgruntled people on school children were taking place all over the China, posing serious challenge to the protection of children.
On December 14, a man armed with cleaver attacked children in a village in primary school in China`s Henan Province injuring 23 of them.
He was stated to be suffering from epilepsy and disturbed by doomsday rumours. Later he told police that he thought that the attack would enable him to appear on Television.
State television for the first time showed the CCTV recordings of the ghastly attack in which the man was seen attempting to hack the hapless children who ran out in panic.
He was later subdued by the staff.
Six officials including schools principle were sacked. Many such attacks were reported from all over China in the recent past.
PTI
