An FIR registered at the Khoupum Police Station says that around 11 am, a bus with registration number MN-01-2119 driven by “an unknown driver” were carrying 37 students including three teachers. The tour party left Imphal for Khoupum Valley via Bishnupur (Tonjei Maril).
TFM Report
The educational tour embarked on by Thambalnu Higher Secondary School, Yairipok Top Chingtha, Imphal East turned into a heart-wrenching tragedy when the bus in which the students and teachers were traveling skidded off the road and rolled down the road below the hillside.
The mishap killed at least five of them at the spot of the mishap along Bishnupur-Khoupum Road (Tongjei Maril Road/Old Cachar Road) near Longsai-III, Tubung Village under Joujangtek PS, Khoupum Sub Division, Noney District) at around 11 AM. Two others succumbed to injury while on the way to different hospitals. 31 of the educational tour party received critical injuries. All the injured persons are now being treated at different hospitals, said police sources.
So far, authorities have officially confirmed seven dead including a teacher and a non-teaching staff of the school. Most of the severely injured were brought of Bishnupur District Hospital after the mishap.
An FIR registered at the Khoupum Police Station says that around 11 am, a bus with registration number MN-01-2119 driven by “an unknown driver” were carrying 37 students including three teachers. The tour party left Imphal for Khoupum Valley via Bishnupur (Tonjei Maril). The mishap occurred at Longsai-III Tubung, about 92 km away from Khoupum Police station. A suo-moto case has been registered under Khoupum Police station and an investigation on.
Many of them had been shifted to a private hospital in Imphal. The exact casualty figure was yet to be updated and ascertained as many are still admitted into hospitals with critical injuries. Most of them are under intensive care units in Raj Medicity and RIMS Hospital.
Meanwhile, the Manipur government has banned school excursions from Wednesday till January 10, 2023. The decision was taken within hours of the mishap. Chief Minister N Biren Singh has also offered condolences to the bereaved family members and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each for those who were killed in the accident.
Manipuri Students’ Federation (MSF), Democratic Students’ Alliance of Manipur (DESAM), Kangleipak Students’ Association (KSA), Students’ Union of Kangleipak (SUK), Apunba Ireipak-ki Maheiroi Singpang Lup (AIMS) and other organisations also offered deep felt condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for speedy recovery of those grievously injured.
The Rongmei Naga Student’s Organization Manipur (RNSOM) has expressed shock over the tragedy and offered its condolences to the bereaved families. The RNSOM said, “The Students of Thambalnu Higher Secondary School, Yairipok Top Chingtha, Imphal East, were on their way for Annual Study tour at the time of tragedy. Several promising students succumbed to their injuries at the spot while many struggling for life. May God grant eternal solace to those innocent, young and promising students who succumbed to their injuries at the spot and console their bereaved families at this difficult time. We pray for speedy recovery of those injured struggling for life at the hospital now. We also thank those villagers and passer-by who had extended their helping hands at the accident spot”.