School bus tyre comes off, narrow escape for 15 kids

KOCHI: Around 15 students of the Santa Maria Senior Higher Secondary School in Mundamveli had a narrow escape on Tuesday morning when one of the tyres of the school bus they were travelling came off.
The incident happened at around 7.30 am at Cheriya kadavu on Thoppumpady-Chellanam road. The bus was provided a fitness certificate by the Motor Vehicle Department a week ago, prior to the reopening of schools.
An MVD official said the tyre got detached from the vehicle because the screws had worn off. G Ananthakrishnan, Mattanchery joint RTO, said the driver has given a statement claiming that screws could have come loose during an attempt to steal the tyres, when the vehicle was parked inside the school compound. "We have ordered the MVD inspector to submit a report on the incident on Wednesday.