Manipur bus tragedy: Mortal remain of students including warden arrives at Thambalnu Higher Secondary School

The mortal remains of seven students along with the body of teaching staff and warden arrive at Thambalnu Higher Secondary School located at Yairipok Top Chingtha on the outskirts of Imphal east on December 21. 

Noney road mishap death toll climbed to nine, lifeless bodies taken back from mortuary for the last rite.

The death toll of the tragic road mishap that occurred at Bishnupur-Khoupum Road near Longsai Tubung Village under Noney District of Manipur has reached nine. 

Amongst them, seven are students and one warden and one teacher. All the deceased bodies were taken from Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) for the last rite.

The funeral was conducted at their respective home after paying floral tribute to the lifeless bodies at Thambalnu Higher Secondary School Yairipok, Imphal East.

Speaking to the media, the MLA of Andro Constituency where the said school is located, Thounaojam Shyamkumar said that it was such a painful incident. As they were deceased after leaving school, their body would take to school for floral tribute. 

To remember them eternal, a memorial park will be constructed in Andro Constituency that will have a library and exclusive playground for the girl children, he added.

He also said that Thambalnu Higher Secondary School Yairipok was set in 2020 with the objective to provide education to poor children. This painful incident encouraged him to take up more initiative for the welfare of the school. As such, the school will provide free education system this year.

It may be mentioned that a bus carrying students and teachers of Thambalnu Higher Secondary School for a school excursion met a road accident yesterday. The bus had lost brake control and overturns which resulted in injured many students and teachers and five of them were dead on the spot.

 

Earlier on December 21, ambulances were seen lined up outside the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) morgue for the bodies to be taken to the respective residences of the students.

Also Read: Manipur government bans school excursions following picnic incident

Speaking to the media in connection with the incident, the chief of Longsai Village Kabidon Gonmei said that the unfortunate incident occurred in an accident-prone area of the road.  

He alleged that the reason behind the occurrence of this tragic accident is due to negligence of the state government which failed to repair the road despite their request.

''Two buses which came for study tour met with an accident and at least five people were killed on the spot,'' he added.

On the other hand, the Director of Education, Government of Manipur L Nandakumar Singh through an office memorandum has banned school excursions till January 10, 2023.

The memorandum directed all principals, headmasters and headmistresses of all government, government-aided, private unaided schools in the state not to organise or conduct school excursions with immediate effect to avoid any untoward incidents.

“…Further, all heads of institutions are directed to comply with the instruction failing which responsibility for any untoward incidents will lie with the principal, headmaster and headmistress concerned..” the memorandum stated.