School Van Rams Into Truck; Same Bus And Driver Were Involved In Incident Months Ago

Hyderabad: Two students from Divine Grace School, Chiryala, were injured on Tuesday morning after their school van rammed into a truck at Jawaharnagar. The injured were a student studying in Class 1 and another in Class 3. They were taken to a nearby hospital in Nagaram. All are reported to be out of danger.

According to preliminary investigation, the van was driven by Onteddu Raju, 34, who has been working with the school for five years. Police found that he did not possess a heavy-vehicle licence and was authorised only to drive light motor vehicles.

The collision comes months after an earlier incident involving the same school, the same bus and the very driver. In that episode, a van carrying about 35 students hit an electrical pole on Chiryala stretch. Although a case was initially filed, no parent came forward to pursue the complaint, as the school management had allegedly offered them fee discounts to them. The final complaint was filed by a police constable, said a source.

In the earlier case too, Raju confessed in court, was given a warning, and later secured surety to have the vehicle released. Motor vehicle inspectors reportedly told complainants at the time that they could initiate detailed checks only in cases involving fatalities. Despite this, the school continued to deploy him for transport duties.

The source said Divine Grace School operates at least 40 vans, and hardly any of the drivers have valid licences to operate heavy vehicles, the source added saying that the one who is taking lives away in the name of accident, or reckless driving or drunk driving, is just getting away with a notice while the families undergoing trauma for ages.

Keesara Police have booked a case under rash and negligent driving. Further investigation is underway.

Unsafe school buses

Data obtained from the Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda commissionerates show the number of accidents involving school buses going up from 2024 to October this year.

Across all three zones, a total of 42 accidents were recorded in 2024, compared to 57 so far in 2025, marking a 35 per cent increase, about half way into the academic year.

Commissionerate 2024 Oct. ’25

Cyberabad 6 29

Rachakonda -11 -15

Hyderabad - 12 -6

Worrying aspects

RTA checks vehicles, not drivers

RTA recommends six-monthly tests for drivers.

In June, the Hyderabad city police booked five school bus drivers for drunk driving.

29 kids were injured in accidents so far this year in Cyberabad, against one in all of 2024