Tuesday, August 1 2006 13:34 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Sonepat (Haryana): Seven children, including three girls, were killed and five others went missing when a school bus carrying 25 of them fell into a canal, 20 km from here, today (Aug 1, 2006), police said.

The bus of Satkumba Vidya Mandir in village Kheri Gujjar fell into the Delhi canal when its driver tried to avoid collision with a mule cart which appeared suddenly while it was crossing a bridge, Senior Superintendent of Police Yogendra Nehra said.

"The children, all between five rpt five and 14 years of age, belonged to Bali Qutabpur and other nearby villages," he added.

Eight children were taken to a local hospital where seven were declared brought dead and one admitted in a serious condition.

"Five children were still missing, the SSP said adding the remaining 12 were sent back to their villages after first aid," Nehra said.

The driver of the bus, Sanjay Kumar, who had earlier been declared as absconding, has been admitted to a hospital in Ganaur, an official spokesman said in Chandigarh.

He said Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has ordered a probe into the accident and an ex gratia of Rs two lakh for the family of those killed in the mishap.