32 Children, Teacher Injured in Van Accident Near Thiruvananthapuram

Fast Summary

• A private van carrying 32 students and one teacher to St. Shantal English Medium school in Malamukal,Kerala,almost fell into a steep drop at 9:45 a.m., near Thiruvananthapuram on Monday (August 18, 2025).
• All passengers were hospitalised; at least 10 had minor injuries while one student sustained a hand fracture. Others received treatment for cuts or bruises and were sent home.
• Kerala’s General Education Minister V. Sivankutty visited the injured children at Sasthamangalam hospital and assured their safety.He criticized the school management for banning private vehicles from entering the safe zones of the school premises, allowing only its buses access inside campus grounds.
• An enquiry has been ordered by Mr.Sivankutty regarding the incident; investigations will include evaluating vehicle conditions and driver competency by the Motor Vehicles department.
• Police have registered a case concerning this incident.
• The school authorities have not commented publicly on this matter yet.

Read more: The Hindu

Indian Opinion Analysis

This incident highlights key concerns around children’s transport safety in urban schools across India, notably reliance on overcrowded private vehicles for daily commutes-a common practice due to rising transport costs or lack of flexible options from schools themselves. While General Education Minister V. Sivankutty’s prompt action underscores institutional accountability, his remarks about restricted entry policies reflect broader systemic issues tied to infrastructure management in educational institutions.

Ensuring safe commutes through stringent enforcement of maintenance checks on vehicles combined with thorough planning between schools, government officials, and parents may mitigate such risks going forward.The case also signals an urgent need for standardized regulations mandating safer alternatives or monitored public-private partnerships catering specifically to student transport needs-an effort that could prevent future incidents like these nationwide.