SINGAPORE: The body of the six-year-old boy who died in a bus accident at Choa Chu Kang was repatriated back to India on Friday (May 25).
According to an undertaker from Hindu Casket Services, the boy’s body was scheduled to be taken home on an evening flight, while his parents had returned to India earlier in the afternoon.
At about 12.30pm on Friday, family and friends of the boy, known as Ashwin, arrived at the Health Sciences Authority mortuary to identify and collect the body.
They declined to speak to the media, saying the family had asked for privacy.
Channel NewsAsia understands that Ashwin and his mother were in the country to visit his father, who is a permanent resident working in Singapore.
An Indian national, Ashwin was supposed to return to Chennai in a few days’ time when his school holidays ended.
Ashwin died on Thursday after he was pinned under a bus along Choa Chu Kang Avenue 5.
When Channel NewsAsia visited the family’s Choa Chu Kang flat on Friday afternoon, no one was at home.
A pair of children’s shoes can be seen on a shoe cabinet outside the family’s home. (Photo: Kamini Devadass)
According to the police, Ashwin sustained serious injuries and died in National University Hospital.
MP for the area Zaqy Mohamad said that he was not aware of any fatal road accidents at the site there before this incident.
He added that he had previously received feedback from motorists and pedestrians on that particular stretch of road, and that modifications had been done to improve traffic conditions.
“We’ve had some feedback, both from motorists and residents, because residents want to cross but some of them mentioned that motorists are being inconsiderate. But, at the same time, some motorists said that residents are jaywalking.
“To be fair, there is also a traffic light that is about 30m away, so to that end, we’ve highlighted to LTA (Land Transport Authority) to review the situation and they are studying (it),” said Mr Zaqy.
Mr Zaqy added that after the accident, he has asked the LTA to expedite studies or measures to make the place safer.
The 57-year-old bus driver involved in the accident is currently assisting with investigations. No arrests have been made so far.
