Two nursery students, aged between 3.5 and 5 years, were injured after falling from a moving private van in Ambernath on Monday morning.
The incident occurred around 11:00 AM on the Kalyan-Badlapur Road near the Omeyya Tiles shop in Ambernath West. According to the police, the incident involved a driver who regularly ferried nursery children to and from school.
The driver has been identified as Solman Trimati Sakppa (30), a resident of Ambernath West. Two caretakers, Usha Balid (41) and Kavita Sunil Jadhav (31), also from Ambernath West, have been held responsible for negligence.
The rear door of the van was reportedly accidentally unlocked, causing two children from a prominent school in Ambernath West to fall onto the road. The driver continued driving, unaware of the incident.
An alert auto-rickshaw driver who witnessed the incident immediately stopped his vehicle, flagged down the van, and helped rush the injured children to a nearby hospital. One child suffered a head injury and is undergoing treatment, while the other sustained minor leg injuries and was discharged after receiving first aid.
Inspector Kishor Shinde of Ambernath Police Station confirmed the incident. “Our preliminary investigation revealed that about seven to eight nursery children were crammed into the ECO van (MH-05-FB-4792), which was being driven recklessly. Two children were injured after falling from the moving vehicle. Additionally, the two caretakers have been held responsible for negligence, as they failed to ensure the door was properly secured. The van was also transporting more children than permitted,” he said. “Further investigation is underway.”
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Ulhasnagar Division) Sachin Gore said, “An FIR has been registered against the driver and both caretakers. If any lapses are found on the part of the school administration, strict action will be taken. We are also forwarding this case to the RTO for further action to prevent such incidents in the future.”
Police said the FIR has been filed under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita — Section 281 (rash and negligent act), Section 125(A)(B) — as well as Sections 134(A)(B) of the Motor Vehicles Act. A video of the incident has gone viral on social media, triggering outrage among parents.
Police sources clarified that the van did not belong to the school, as it was a privately operated vehicle driven by Sakppa
