In a tragic incident on Tuesday, a 7-year-old student lost his life following a devastating accident on the Hatta-Lahbab road. Mohammed Ahnaf, a Grade 2 student at a Dubai-based Indian school, was one of 12 passengers in a vehicle that veered off the road, crashed into an iron barrier, and overturned.
The boy’s uncle, Tawheed, a Bangladeshi national shared the heart-wrenching details of the accident. He described Mohammed as a “sweet and caring” child who was always smiling.
“We are still not sure what happened,” Tawheed said, emphasizing the family’s ongoing confusion and grief. “The vehicle was a rented car, and the children were being brought home from school. We were told the driver is in jail.”
The accident, which involved a rented car transporting schoolchildren, occurred under circumstances that are still being investigated.
According to Dubai Police, initial findings suggest that speeding, negligence, and lack of attention on the driver’s part were significant factors.
Major-General Saif Muhair Al Mazrouei, acting commandant assistant for Operations Affairs, stated, “This led to the driver losing control over the vehicle … One of the students died, while the injured students were transferred to hospital for treatment.”
The police noted that the injuries sustained by the other students were categorized as mild to moderate.
In addition to Mohammed Ahnaf, his younger brother, who is six years old, was also in the vehicle. He was admitted to the hospital but has since been discharged. Tawheed mentioned that the family’s youngest child, a sister who is not yet of school age, was also in the car.
“The younger brother was very upset about the loss of his sibling,” Tawheed said. “Since they are just 1.5 years apart, the boys were very close. He keeps saying that my brother went to ‘matti,’ indicating that his elder brother died and is now buried.”
The family, who had been sending their children to the school for the past two years, is now focused on dealing with the aftermath of the tragedy.
Tawheed revealed that they are in the process of arranging for Mohammed’s body to be returned to Bangladesh. “Today we went about doing all the required cancellations. Some more paperwork is remaining so it might take another two days or so,” he said.
The accident has cast a somber shadow over the community, with many expressing their condolences and support for the grieving family.
As the investigation continues, the focus remains on understanding the exact circumstances that led to the tragic loss of young Mohammed Ahnaf and ensuring that such incidents are prevented in the future.