Tragedy Strikes Gurgaon: 8-Year-Old Boy Crushed by Reversing School Van Moments After Receiving Reward
In a heartbreaking incident that has left a family shattered, an eight-year-old boy lost his life in Gurgaon's Bhondsi area on Monday afternoon after being run over by a reversing school van. The child, identified as Shivansh Tripathi, a Class 1 student, had just moments earlier shown his father his report card and received a chocolate as a reward for his performance.
Fatal Moments After a Joyful Reward
According to family members, Shivansh had returned home from school, changed out of his uniform, and rushed to his father's shop in the narrow lanes of the Shyam Kunj area. He proudly presented his report card to his father, Santosh Kumar, who was so pleased with his son's performance that he handed him a chocolate as a token of appreciation. The happy child then ran back toward his house, located just 20 meters away across the road.
"Just minutes before the accident, Shivansh had returned from school, changed out of his uniform and rushed to show his father the report card," recounted his uncle, Alok. "Happy with his performance, Santosh had handed him a chocolate. He was so happy. Moments later, he was gone."
The Tragic Accident and Aftermath
As Shivansh was crossing the road, a Maruti Eco van belonging to MS Public School was reversing at speed through the lane. Police reports indicate that the child fell on the road just as he was approaching the van. The driver, identified as Rajesh (29), who had been dropping off schoolchildren in the area, allegedly continued reversing even after the child fell, crushing him under the wheels.
Shivansh sustained severe head and body injuries and began bleeding from his ears and mouth. The driver then took the critically injured boy to Medanta Hospital in his vehicle, but doctors declared him dead upon arrival.
Police Investigation and Legal Action
Police were alerted after the hospital reported a child brought in dead following a road accident. A team from the Maruti Kunj police chowki inspected the accident spot, collected blood samples, and gathered other evidence. CCTV footage retrieved from nearby areas showed the child returning home and beginning to sprint near a corner before the tragic incident occurred.
"As he was approaching the van, he fell on the road, and the driver could not see him while reversing the car," explained a police officer involved in the investigation.
An FIR has been registered at Bhondsi police station under sections 281 (rash driving) and 106(1) (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Police have confirmed that the driver will be arrested soon.
A Family Devastated by Loss
Shivansh was the youngest child in his family, with two sisters aged 15 and 10. His uncle Alok described him as "the life of the house," emphasizing how the entire family has been left shattered by the sudden tragedy. The complaint filed by his father, Santosh Kumar, contradicts the police version in some details, claiming the driver continued reversing even after the child had fallen.
Pattern of School Vehicle Accidents in the Region
Monday's death represents the latest in a series of fatal accidents involving school vehicles in the Gurgaon region:
- In October 2025, a six-year-old girl was killed in the Pataudi area after being struck by a tractor as she crossed the road to board her school bus, which then ran over her.
- In August 2018, a middle-aged couple on a bicycle was crushed from behind by a school bus in Sector 44.
- In December 2017, a five-year-old boy was killed in Mushedpur, Farrukhnagar, when he had come with his father to pick up his elder sister from school.
These incidents highlight ongoing safety concerns regarding school transportation in the area, raising questions about driver training, vehicle safety protocols, and road infrastructure in residential neighborhoods where children frequently walk to and from school.
