Kota, Nov 1 : Two schoolchildren were killed and more than a dozen others injured when a school van collided head-on with an SUV in Rajasthan's Kota district on Saturday morning, police said.

According to police and eyewitnesses, the accident, near the 132 kV grid station in the Etawa police station area, occurred when a tyre of the school's van suddenly burst, causing the driver to lose control. The van veered into the opposite lane and collided with an oncoming SUV.

The impact of the collision was so severe that both vehicles overturned, with the SUV rolling nearly 20 feet away from the road. The front portion of the van was completely mangled, and school bags and books were scattered across the roadside. Locals who heard the loud crash and children's cries rushed to the scene.

Several villagers broke the van's windows to pull out the trapped children and passengers. Police and emergency teams arrived shortly afterwards, and with the help of villagers, all injured children and adults were rushed to the Etawah Sub-District Hospital. Two students were declared dead on arrival. Hospital officials reported that several of the injured sustained fractures and head injuries and were later referred to Kota's MBS Hospital for advanced treatment.

The deceased children were students of a private school in Etawa. The accident site was marked by twisted metal and shattered glass, reflecting the intensity of the collision. "It appears that a tyre burst caused the driver to lose control, leading to the head-on crash," a police officer at the scene said.

As word of the tragedy spread, families of the students gathered at the hospital, where scenes of grief and mourning unfolded. The cries of parents echoed through the corridors as doctors attended to the injured.

Police have seized both vehicles and begun an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash. The incident has sparked outrage and renewed concerns over road safety and vehicle maintenance standards for school transport in the region.

/IANS