Mangaluru: A five-year-old girl was killed and two other children were injured after a huge tree fell on a moving school busamid heavy rain and gusty winds near Kalleti Daivasthana on the Mani–Barimaru Road in Bantwal taluk on Wednesday evening.Chiranvi, a student of Sri Rama School, Kalladka, place at around 5pm as the bus was ferrying students home. A massive tree, believed to be 200 to 300 years old, was uprooted and crashed onto the bus.The two injured children are undergoing treatment at hospitals. Around 20 children were travelling in the bus when the accident occurred, police said.The tragedy comes close on the heels of a similar incident in Mumbai three weeks ago, where a tree collapse during heavy rain claimed the life of an 11-year-old boy, once again raising concerns over the safety of ageing trees, especially during the monsoon.Minister for health and family welfare U T Khader has asked authorities to ensure that students injured in the incident receive comprehensive medical treatment at the govt’s expense. He also directed district administration to provide immediate compensation to Chiranvi’s family.A case has been registered at the Bantwal Rural Police Station.
