There were 11 children in the van. While most suffered “minor injuries”, two are reported to be “a little serious”.

Eyewitnesses said the accident took place around 6.40 am when the van with school-children was passing a traffic intersection and turning right.

The Tata 709 was coming from Wazirabad.

The school, meanwhile, said the mini-truck lost control after a tyre-burst. “It was not an official school vehicle but a private taxi hired by parents. The school has nothing to do with it,” said DPS Mathura Road Principal M I Hussain.

Two students with serious injuries were taken to Parmanand Hospital and the rest to a trauma centre nearby. Headmistress Aruna Puri was in touch with the parents and the injured students.

Shreya Khurana, a Class V student, suffered a fracture in the leg and elbow and a Class III student, Sagar Gupta, got stitches on his forehead. They were taken to Parmanand Hospital, school officials said. “Everybody is safe and has been discharged.”

“The van was stationary when the truck, Tata 407, collided with it,” said the principal. “I came to know of the accident around 7.15 am.”

The school then rushed the transport in-charge, a teacher and a lady guard to the spot.

“The van took U-turn and stopped to take in students at a red light intersection when a Tata 709 coming from Majnu Ka Tila side first broke the red signal and suddenly applied brakes to avoid colliding with the van,” a senior police officer said. “When the truck driver applied brakes, the truck turned turtle and dragged on to hit the van.”

The driver and the helper of the Tata 709 escaped and are still absconding.

The injured students have been identified as Yukta, 7, Vidarbh, 9, Mahima, 10, Drishti, 10, Neha, 10, Dharmik, 7 Kabir, 7, and driver, Paramjeet Singh. One student has not been identified yet.

Kumar Swami, an eyewitness, said, “I heard a sound and when I looked around, I heard the children screaming. I went there and helped them out of the van.”