Karnataka: Four-Year-Old Dies After Falling From School Bus in Gadag, Driver Arrested

A four-year-old schoolboy lost his life after allegedly falling from a moving private school bus in Karnataka’s Gadag district, triggering outrage among family members and local residents over alleged safety lapses and delayed response by school authorities.

The child, identified as Pratham Lamani, was a Lower Kindergarten student at Little Heart School in Shigli village of Lakshmeshwar taluk. His father, who serves in the Indian Army, was at home on leave at the time of the incident.

The accident occurred on the outskirts of Doddur village while the child was returning home from school. Preliminary findings suggest that the boy fell from the bus door nearly 200–300 metres before his designated drop point and sustained critical injuries.

Family members and villagers have alleged that the bus driver and attendant failed to immediately take the injured child to a hospital. They claimed the child was placed back inside the bus, the route was continued without informing school authorities or parents, and the vehicle was later abandoned in an isolated area before those involved fled.

Residents accused the school of gross negligence and demanded strict action, citing inadequate safety measures in the school bus and what they described as inhuman conduct after the incident.

Lakshmeshwar police rushed to the spot, conducted a preliminary inspection, and launched an investigation. Gadag Superintendent of Police Rohan Jagadeesh confirmed that a case has been registered and the bus driver has been arrested.

“This is an accident, and the child succumbed to injuries sustained in it. The driver has been taken into custody,” the SP said, adding that the sequence of events would be verified after recording statements and examining evidence.

The family also alleged that the school management failed to respond promptly, claiming no school officials visited the spot for several hours after the incident. Police said investigations are ongoing and further action will be taken based on findings.