14-year-old girl killed in road accident: Police

A 14-year-old girl was today killed after being hit by a private bus here, triggering protests and a brief blockade of the Jammu-Pathankot bypass road, the police said.
Saima Kousar (14), a class 8 student, was on her way to school from her Batindi residence in the morning when the bus hit her near the Madina hill, a police official said.
He added that the girl, a native of the Bani area in Kathua district, died on the spot, triggering protests by students and locals.
The students of her school, along with the teachers, blocked the main bypass road for nearly an hour, demanding stern action against the bus driver, who fled the scene abandoning his vehicle after the accident, the official said.

He added that the protesters, including the relatives of the girl, subsequently dispersed peacefully after senior police officers assured them of action against the accused.
The private bus was seized and efforts were on to nab the absconding driver, the official said.