A four-member government-appointed panel will probe the school bus crash that killed six students and injured around 20 in Haryana’s Mahendragarh on Thursday (April 11).

The accident took place near Unhani village in Kanina, when the bus, carrying around 40 students from primary to secondary classes to the GL Public School, collided with a tree and turned turtle, police told PTI. An FIR has been registered in connection with the case.

Initial investigations revealed disturbing details about the circumstances leading to the crash. School bags, shoes, and study materials were scattered amidst the wreckage following the accident. Some children lay in pools of blood, while others cried out in agony. The fact that the school was opened despite the Eid holiday is also a point of contention.

Also Read: Haryana: Six children dead, 20 injured as school bus overturns in Mahendragarh

According to the police, the driver, identified as Dharmender, was allegedly drunk and driving recklessly when he lost control of the vehicle. He jumped out of the bus just before it rammed into a tree. Despite attempts by concerned villagers to intervene, the bus continued its journey, ultimately meeting with an accident. He has been taken into custody, NDTV reported.

A senior police official said the medical test conducted on the driver has confirmed that alcohol was present in his bloodstream.

Three individuals, including the school’s principal and another school official, have been arrested in connection with the incident.

The bus belonged to the school and documents showed that the bus’ fitness certificate had expired six years ago, in 2018. A state road transport official has also been suspended.

Also Read: ‘Drunk driver, bus lacked documents’: Haryana government orders probe into Mahendragarh school bus accident

Meanwhile, state education minister Seema Trikha said an inquiry is being conducted to establish why classes were being held in the school on Eid, which is a holiday.

The Haryana Education Department has also called for a meeting regarding vehicle safety policy at 3 pm today. All District Education Officers, Elementary Education Officers, and Block Education Officers of the state will participate in the meeting from various areas of the state via video conferencing, NDTV reported.

President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and various other leaders have expressed their deep sorrow and called for urgent measures to prevent such devastating accidents in the future.

(With inputs from agencies)