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Tamil Nadu teen dies after altercation on school bus; police launch probe after ‘conflicting accounts’ of what transpired

Citing preliminary reports, a police officer, familiar with the case details, told The Indian Express that an altercation broke out between the boy and a classmate Monday evening when they were on a school bus on their way home.

The officer, who spoke to The Indian Express, refused to confirm reports that the boy was struck on the chest, causing him to fall and hit the floor of the bus, resulting in a severe head injury.

Police are investigating what transpired inside a school bus that led to the death of a student Tuesday following an altercation with a classmate in Salem district’s Edappadi town.

Police said that the boy was a student of a private school in Edappadi.

Citing preliminary reports, a police officer, familiar with the case details, told The Indian Express that an altercation broke out between the boy and a classmate Monday evening when they were on a school bus on their way home.

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“Eyewitness statements say when the bus neared their village of Vellandivalasu, the argument escalated into a fight. During the fight, the boy reportedly collapsed inside the vehicle. School staffers and other students in the bus rushed him to a nearby private hospital, where doctors assessed his condition as critical. He was later transferred to an intensive care unit at a hospital in Salem. Despite efforts to stabilise him, he succumbed to his injuries early Tuesday morning,” the police officer said.

“We are awaiting the postmortem report to determine the exact cause of death,” the officer said.

“There are conflicting accounts of what transpired inside the bus. We are speaking to students, teachers, and the driver to piece together the sequence of events,” he said. “It was a very unfortunate incident. As doctors suggested, the boy might have had pre-existing health conditions, which could also have contributed to his sudden collapse. We are reviewing medical records and awaiting forensic findings before making any conclusions,” the officer said.

Meanwhile, local reports indicated that the altercation began after a student allegedly teased another student, while others suggested it stemmed from a dispute over seating arrangements in the bus.

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The officer, who spoke to The Indian Express, refused to confirm reports that the boy was struck on the chest, causing him to fall and hit the floor of the bus, resulting in a severe head injury.

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