In a heartbreaking incident, two schoolchildren lost their lives and over a dozen others sustained injuries after a school van collided head-on with an SUV in Rajasthan’s Kota district on Saturday morning. The crash occurred near the 132 kV grid station in the Etawa police station area. According to officials, the tragedy unfolded when a tyre of the school van suddenly burst, causing the driver to lose control. The van swerved into the opposite lane and crashed into an oncoming SUV, resulting in a devastating collision.
The impact was so powerful that both vehicles overturned, with the SUV rolling nearly 20 feet off the road. The front section of the van was completely wrecked, and school bags, books, and shattered glass were scattered across the scene. Hearing the loud crash and children’s screams, locals rushed to help. Several villagers broke the van’s windows to rescue the trapped students and passengers. Police and emergency responders soon arrived, and with community assistance, the injured were taken to the Etawa Sub-District Hospital, where two students were declared dead on arrival.
The deceased were identified as students of a private school in Etawa. Hospital authorities confirmed that many of the injured suffered head injuries and fractures, and some were later referred to Kota’s MBS Hospital for further treatment. The accident site was littered with twisted metal and broken glass, highlighting the severity of the crash. Police said that the likely cause was a tyre burst that led to a loss of control. As news spread, anguished families gathered at the hospital, their cries echoing through its corridors as doctors worked to stabilize the injured.
Authorities have seized both vehicles and launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the collision. The tragic event has triggered widespread outrage and reignited concerns about road safety and maintenance standards for school transport vehicles in Rajasthan. Residents have demanded stricter checks on school buses and vans to prevent such devastating accidents in the future.