MARGAO: The RTO Inspector, who inspected the ill-fated Balrath minibus involved in the accident while transporting 27 students on December 7, has reportedly stated that an “opinion cannot be given”.
It may be recalled that the Balrath was transporting students from Khaddem to Cuncolim United High School when it turned turtle after going off the road in a field at Balli reportedly because the steering wheel got locked.
In all 22 students were injured due to the accident and six were admitted to the South Goa District Hospital, Margao.
Following the accident, the Cuncolim Police had asked the RTO to inspect the bus and submit a report. The report submitted by the Quepem RTO inspector has stated that “opinion cannot be given.”
The Cuncolim police registered an offence under Sections 279 and 337 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the Balrath driver Prabhakar Fondu Velip (46), a resident of Nanekarwadi, Morpirla in Quepem taluka.
The police team along with the representatives of an NGO had visited the residences of those students injured in the accident and recorded the statements of 19 students. Statements of three students were recorded earlier. Most of the students injured were studying in high school while, few were higher secondary students from the same institution.
After the accident, the parents had expressed their concern about the safety of their children travelling in Balrath buses. The Balrath Employees Association too had stated that that there was an urgent need for repairs of the Balrath buses as in some cases, replacement of the buses was required as they were not roadworthy.
However, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had said that the schools managements should take care of the roadworthiness of the Balrath buses as the government was providing funds to the schools management to carry out maintenance work of the buses.
Director of Education Shailesh Sinai Zingde too had said it is time the school management should act in a more responsible manner as far as maintenance of the Balrath buses is concerned.