A 12-year-old boy died and 17 others were injured when an overloaded auto-rickshaw carrying school students overturned at Baskarcha village in Latehar on April 30, 2026 . This Jharkhand auto-rickshaw accident left one child dead and multiple pupils hospitalised, police said.

Jharkhand auto-rickshaw accident: what happened

Police said the vehicle, carrying around 22 students, overturned under Mahuadanr police station limits after the driver lost control. A police officer told reporters the auto-rickshaw was described as overloaded when the crash occurred in the morning.

The deceased was identified as Ankur Minz , a Class-7 student of St Mikhail School, Latehar. Local officers confirmed the boy's death at the scene.

Victims and treatment

The injured were taken to the community health centre in Mahuadanr for initial care. Five of the seriously injured students were referred to a hospital in Gumla district for further treatment.

Authorities did not provide details on the current medical status of each child beyond the referrals and admissions.

Jharkhand auto-rickshaw accident — police action

After the crash, the driver and the vehicle owner fled the scene, prompting a manhunt by local police. Officers said efforts were underway to locate and apprehend them.

A police officer gave these details to the Press Trust of India, which reported the incident on April 30, 2026 .

Immediate student impact and school link

Most passengers were school students returning from or going to classes; the deceased was a pupil of St Mikhail School. The accident raises questions about school transport safety and vehicle capacity on rural routes in Latehar.

Police have opened inquiries into the circumstances of the overturning. There was no immediate information on vehicle registration, owner identity, or whether charges had been filed.

Local authorities and medical teams handled on-site response and transfers to Gumla for critical cases. Further updates are awaited from the Mahuadanr police and hospital authorities.

(Report based on information provided to Press Trust of India on April 30, 2026 .)