Daijiworld Media Network - Damoh

Damoh (Madhya Pradesh), Oct 10: Two Class 8 students were killed and another girl was critically injured after a passenger bus hit them on the Damoh-Jabalpur State Highway in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday, triggering protests by angry villagers who blocked the road and pelted buses with stones.

The accident occurred near Abhana village under the limits of Nohta police station in Damoh district when the girls were on their way to school, police said.

The deceased were identified as Dasoda Patel (14) and Aarushi Thakur (14), both Class 8 students. The injured girl, identified as Nitya Sen, was taken to the district hospital for treatment.

Reports indicated that other schoolgirls were also caught up in the incident, though accounts varied over the number of injured.

Tendukheda Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) Archana Ahir confirmed that two girls died and another sustained injuries in the accident.

“Family members and villagers staged a protest on the road after the incident,” she said, adding that officials had assured them their demands would be addressed promptly.

Following the accident, local residents gathered at the spot and blocked the highway, disrupting traffic. Some protesters also pelted buses with stones. Police personnel were deployed to bring the situation under control and persuade the protesters to clear the road.

Damoh Collector Pratap Narayan Yadav visited the district hospital to meet the injured girl and directed the District Transport Officer to seize the bus immediately.

Naib Tehsildar Raghunandan Chaturvedi also visited the hospital and spoke with the bereaved families.

Police remained at the scene as officials worked to restore traffic and address the protesters’ demands.