Lucknow, April 16 (IANS): Almost a fortnight after three school children and a bus conductor who had come for an educational trip to Lucknow died in an accident in Barabanki, the Education Department has suspended Gyanesh Kumar Verma, Principal in-charge of Composite School, Suratganj, for failing at his responsibilities.

As many as 15 children were also injured in the accident on April 2.

The suspension notice issued by the district Basic Education officer Santosh Kumar Dev Pandey stated that Verma has been prima facie found guilty of not fulfilling his responsibilities.

“His suspension comes following investigations carried out by our office,” Pandey said on Tuesday.

A four-member committee under the Basic Education Director has also been formed to probe the incident.

According to Pandey, Verma who was on an educational trip to Lucknow along with 42 students and five teachers left the bus before children reached their homes.

The accident took place after the bus carrying students and school staff encountered a high-speed motorcycle during its return near Salarpur village in Dewa block of Barabanki, prompting the driver to avoid a collision.

Highlighting the laxity of the in-charge Principal, the Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) in his notice stated that Verma did not even bother to reach the site of incident, nor inform the departmental officials of the accident.

Verma also did not apprise the BSA office of any educational excursion to Lucknow zoo and regional science city.

Verma has been attached to Block Resource Centre (BRC), Suratganj.

Further investigations in his case will be carried out by the block education officer, Dariyabad.