A four-year-old child studying in Lower Kindergarten (LKG) was killed after allegedly falling from a private school bus in Karnataka’s Gadag district, drawing the ire and sorrow of villagers.

The deceased was identified as Pratham Lamani (4), a student of Little Heart School in Shigli village, Lakshmeshwar taluk.

Prima facie, the boy fell from the moving bus door just 200 metres before the designated drop point and sustained fatal injuries.

Locals and family members alleged that the bus driver and attendant did not immediately rush the injured child to a hospital. It was alleged that the child was taken back into the bus and the accused bus was later abandoned in an isolated area without informing the school or child’s family.

Residents sought strict action against those responsible. Police from Lakshmeshwar Police Station rushed to the spot and an investigation was launched. “It appears like an accident. The boy succumbed to injuries caused by the accident. We have registered a case and arrested the driver,” the police said, adding that the investigation was ongoing.

Family members alleged that the school management failed to respond promptly after the incident.

“They picked him up and drove away. Everyone scattered and ran in different directions,” said an onlooker.

Family members also alleged that no representative from the school visited or offered condolences. They added, “They should have shown humanity. They should have shut down the school and rushed here along with their staff.”

Inputs from India Today