A schoolchild was seriously injured after an alleged collision between a police official's vehicle and an auto-rickshaw carrying schoolchildren outside APJ College in Jalandhar.
According to preliminary information, the incident took place near Bansal Sweets, where the police vehicle allegedly collided with the school auto. The impact left one child seriously injured.
Child Taken to Hospital, Referred Due to Serious Condition
Following the accident, the injured child was taken to a private hospital for treatment. However, doctors reportedly referred the child to another hospital after assessing the seriousness of the injuries. The child is currently undergoing treatment in the ICU, according to the information available.
The incident has left the child's parents distressed as they rushed to arrange medical assistance for their child
Questions Raised Over Police Official's Response
The incident has also triggered questions over the conduct of the police official following the crash.
Images from the hospital reportedly show the child's mother arranging a stretcher while the injured child was being taken for treatment. The police official, meanwhile, was seen near his vehicle, apparently looking at the damage caused to the car.
The visuals have sparked criticism over whether adequate attention was given to the injured child immediately after the accident.
Police Official Gives His Version
The police official, identified as Gurnam Singh, said he was travelling from Amritsar towards the Punjab Armed Police (PAP) in Jalandhar when the accident occurred.
According to Singh, he was turning his vehicle when the auto-rickshaw driver allegedly appeared to be looking in another direction, resulting in the collision.
Singh said the injured child's condition was stable.
Questions Remain Over Accident
When questioned about why he was seen assessing the damage to his vehicle instead of immediately attending to the injured child, the police official reportedly avoided directly answering the question.
The circumstances leading to the collision, the exact sequence of events and responsibility for the accident are expected to be established through further investigation.
The child's medical condition remains the primary concern, while the incident has also raised questions about road safety and the conduct expected from public servants following an accident involving a schoolchild.