Agra RTO seizes 8 school buses for ‘safety violations’ after 9yo girl’s death

Agra: The regional transport office (RTO) in Agra launched a special enforcement drive and seized eight school buses on Saturday for allegedly violating safety norms, days after a nine-year-old girl died after falling from a school bus.Regional transport officer AK Dwivedi said, "The buses were operating without valid permits and fitness certificates. Eight school buses were seized during checks across Agra. Our teams are also inspecting buses at schools and the drive will continue."On Wednesday, Naina, a Class 1 student of RBS School Bhagupur, fell from a school bus and was run over by its wheel on Naya Bans Bihari Pur Road in the Etmadpur area while returning home. She died during treatment. Police said the bus was in a dilapidated condition. ACP Etmadpur Devesh Singh said, "The vehicle had a broken floor, which likely caused the child to fall when the bus jolted." An FIR was registered under BNS sections 106(1) (causing death by negligence) and 105 (punishment for culpable homicide).The accused bus driver, Narendra Singh, who had been absconding, was later arrested in Firozabad on Friday. The incident also led to administrative action, with transport commissioner Kinjal Singh on Friday suspending four officials -- Neelam, Amit Verma, Sharda Mishra and Shiv Kumar Mishra -- over alleged negligence.The recent incident came just two weeks after another similar tragedy in Uttar Pradesh's Kasganj, prompting renewed scrutiny of school transport safety. Authorities said that inspections will continue to ensure school buses comply with mandatory transport and safety regulations.