New Delhi, January 22: Their short walk to school was cut short by death on Thursday morning. Anjali Vishwakarma, 10, was killed by a dumper truck at the Kurar junction of Western Express Highway, while her classmate, Poonam Shukla, is in hospital with several fractures.
The two girls had been in a group of five walking to Rani Sati School from their homes at Pathanwadi. The other three included Manish, 12, Poonam’s elder brother. These three had crossed the highway, with Anjali and Poonam following, when the truck knocked them down.
The truck was travelling from Borivali to Goregaon. Driver Riyaz Shaikh has been arrested for rash driving, the Kurla police said.
“Anjali had suffered massive internal injuries and was bleeding from the nose and mouth. She died on the way to hospital,” said a police officer.
Anjali’s father Dharmendra, a carpenter, could not speak. Poonam’s mother Sanjana said, “My husband Srivas (a grocer) usually accompanies Poonam to school but today she told him she would go with the other girls. Minutes later, Manish ran home and informed us of the accident.”
Munna Singh, a neighbour, said, “The patch of road under the flyover at Pathanwadi junction frequently sees accidents, with vehicles taking the wrong side.”
—Agencies