Seven school students, van driver killed in mishap

Seven school students and the driver of a van were killed and four seriously injured today when the vehicle collided with a private bus at Poovarasangudi, 10 km from here, police said.
There were ten students in the age group of 12-15 years on board the vehicle besides the driver and his assistant.
The condition of the injured--three students and the assistant, admitted to the government hospital here, is serious.
The victims were students of a government school at the nearby Vallaththirakottai village.
Soon after the incident, the locals blocked roads, saying the students had taken a lift on the van supplying milk as government buses were not stopping at villages and passes were not issued to students.