Seven schoolmates were accompanying Anmul; the lone occupant in the Maruti, Poonam Pancholi, 25, was learning how to drive. She fled immediately after the collision, leaving behind the car and the screaming children in the autorickshaw. Among them, Anmul was bleeding profusely, so was his cousin Kashish Bansal, 7, and two other school mates Harshit, 6, and Bharishya, 6.

While Anmul and Kashish are in the ICU of Apollo Hospital, Harshit and Bharshiya are admitted in Shanti Mukund hospital in Anand Vihar. The rest have been discharged. By evening, doctors had successfully operated on Kashish, but they were uncertain about Anmul's condition.

Around 8 am on Thursday, Anmul, his two cousins and five more schoolmates were on their way to Harward Academy, a 10-minute drive fromtheir Vishwas Nagar residences. When they approached the T-Point near Geetanjali Apartments, a speeding Maruti suddenly swerved in front of them and collided head-on.

The autorickshaw toppled over. Anmul, who was in the left corner, was crushed under the weight of the vehicle and his schoolmates as they fell on him. The eight school bags only made it worse. Even as the autorickshaw driver, Dayanand, who had also sustained injuries, was trying to lift the vehicle, Poonam Pancholi got out of her Maruti and ran. The police later arrested her from her Anand Vihar residence. She has been booked under Sections 279 and 338 of the Indian Penal Code.

``How could she have run away, even after seeing the children in this condition?'' asks businessman Deepak Gupta, Anmul's father. ``If she had assisted the autorickshaw driver in pulling out the children from under the vehicle, it could have made a big difference. At least Anmul and Kashish wouldn't have been in this state.''

Besides, points out Ashok Verma, whoseson also studies in Harward Academy, the incident has once again proved that school children in Delhi are not safe. ``The Supreme Court guidelines stipulate that a maximum of five children can be seated in an autorickshaw. Everywhere in Delhi you will find eight to 10 children being packed inside an autorickshaw.''

Anmul's father agrees and says he along with other parents have repeatedly asked the autorickshaw owner to stop overloading. They also wrote to the Transport department in this connection.

Says Deepak Gupta: ``No one responded. Now I don't know what will happen to my son. But I at least hope that this incident forces Delhiites to look beyond themselves and not run away. This can happen to anyone, anywhere and any day.''