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Search for missing students continues

The Delhi police put up nets across the Yamuna river at various places as the fire brigade and divers from the Indian navy continued for the second day today their search for 10 children missing since yesterday's bus accident in which 30 children died.

Rescuers said two bodies were recovered late last night from the river near the ITO bridge, more than five kilometres downstream from the Wazirbad barrage-cum-bridge, from which the school bus packed with about 120 students slid off into the river.

Doctors at the Bara Hindu Rao hospital, where the 67 rescued students, teachers and the driver were admitted, said four victims -- two students, a teacher and the driver -- were out of danger and in a stable condition.

Hundreds of divers, equipped with oxygen cylinders, scoured the river today, looking for bodies even as Delhi went into a two-day state mourning in memory of the victims.

The driver, Kiranpal, being treated at hospital, was today charged with culpable homicide, not amounting to murder, for his negligent driving that allegedly caused the accident.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Jitendra Narayan, who has been asked to inquire into the incident and submit his report within 15 days, has questioned the suspended principal, Sant Ram, of the government Ludlow Castle school (two).

Confusion continued to prevail over the number of missing students even a day after the accident, with authorities refusing to disclose the exact number of children who died.

According to the list maintained by the school for route No eight, as many as 120 children travel by the bus, besides two teachers and the driver.

Of them, 67 were admitted to the hospital, 28 were declared "brought dead" to the hospital, and five found their way home on their own.

Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma had told reporters yesterday that all the missing students had reached home. But that this is untrue is evident from searches still on in the Yamuna river.

EARLIER REPORTS:
28 kids killed as school bus plunges into river
'We don't know where to go, what to do. Whether our kids are alive or dead.'

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