In a shocking incident of negligence, a UKG student of Amity International School, Noida, was allegedly locked inside a school bus for nearly six to seven hours after being left behind during a forced mid-route bus change.
According to the parents, the child had boarded the school bus as usual on Thursday morning. The bus developed a mechanical issue midway, following which the school management arranged another vehicle.
However, the UKG student, who had fallen asleep, was left inside the bus while all other students were shifted to the new vehicle.
The careless staff allowed the faulty bus to proceed to a secluded parking area where it remained for hours with the child still locked inside, scared and anxious.
Speaking to The Statesman, the parents of the child claimed that the school didn’t send any ‘absent from school’ notification, exposing a serious procedural lapse that resulted in the enduring trauma of a little kid.
The matter came to light when the child’s mother reached the designated bus drop-off point in the afternoon to pick up her son.
Unable to find her son in the bus, the panic-stricken mother informed other family members, who immediately approached the school authorities, and subsequently, the police were also informed.
After hours of frantic efforts, the school bus in question was found parked several kilometres away. The child was found hiding under a seat in a terrified and exhausted state. He had consumed all the food and water that he had carried to school.
Shocking negligence! #AmityInternationalSchool ‘s UKG child was locked inside a school bus for nearly 7 hrs. Children were shifted to another vehicle but the careless staff left the sleeping child inside. @TheStatesmanLtd pic.twitter.com/hryz47HKsK
— Shashikant Sharma (@MarwariPatrakar) February 26, 2026
The incident raised several serious questions about the school’s child safety mechanisms.
In a statement, the school claimed that it took immediate action after the issue was brought to the attention of the administration.
“Upon the matter being brought to our attention, immediate action was taken. The child, who had fallen asleep during transit, was located without delay and safely reunited with the parents. We are relieved to confirm that the student was unharmed,” it said.
It further added that appropriate and strict action is being undertaken to ensure accountability, and additional safeguards are being reinforced to prevent any recurrence.