Bhadrak: State Commission for Child Protection chairperson Sandhyabati Pradhan who inspected Ranital High School Friday discussed with district education officer Sangram Sahu, child protection officer Padman Ray, headmaster Nirmal Chandra Maiti and other officials on the need for taking possible safety measures for children studying in schools along the National Highway in the district.
Pradhan later on met Collector Gyanarajan Das at the latter’s office and discussed safety measures for school kids. She said she would submit some proposals to the state government about children’s safety.
Meanwhile, the police administration has put in place speed breakers on NH16 at Rahanja. Vehicles were found moving at a slow pace there.
During state-level Road Safety Week celebrations, various outfits had demanded speed breakers and an overbridge at the place due to heavy traffic.
The outfits have also criticized the administration that despite the speed breakers a gruesome accident claimed five valuable lives.
Bodies cremated
Five schoolchildren who were mowed down by a speeding truck Friday evening were consigned to flames on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday. Their last rites were performed in their native village and one of them was taken to Swargadwar at Puri.
A ten-wheeler juggernaut ran over nine schoolchildren at Ranital Chhak near Rahanja in Bhadrak district Thursday while they were crossing the National Highway 16.
Four children died on the spot and one succumbed to injuries at the district headquarters hospital.
The other injured are being treated at Bhadrak DHH while one has been shifted to SCB at Cuttack. Their condition is stated to be critical.
Angered by the incident, thousands of villagers held up traffic and torched the vehicle. Police had to cane-charge the irate villagers to maintain law and order and disperse them.
PNN