At least two students were killed and 20 others including two teachers wounded when a picnic bus plunged into roadside ditch at Folia Pulbandi area of the town on Monday night.
The deceased are identified as Rakib Miah, 14, son of Feku Miah, and Moksedul Hasan, 11, son of Mahubar Miah, at Madhya Folia village under Kanchipara union of Fulchhari upazila.
Police said the students of Khabiria Dakhil Madrasha of the union were returning to their institutions by a bus after ending a picnic at Shwapnapuri, Dinajpur.
When the bus came at Folia Pulbandi area of the town around 9:30pm, the driver lost control over its steering causing it skidded off the road and plunged into roadside ditch.
Two students were killed on the spot and over 20 students including two teachers injured in the accident.
Of the injured, the condition of Razzak, a student of class ten and Arifa Akter, a student of class seven, and teachers Mostafizur Rahman and Masudur Rahman and an employee Khalilur Rahman is stated to be critical and they were admitted to Gaibandha Sadar Hospital.
After the incident, Gaibandha Deputy Commissioner M Ehsan-E-Elahi and Police Super M Mofazzel Hossain, Fulchari UNO Mostafizur Rahman and Fulchhari police station Officer-in-Charge of Mashiur Rahman and near and dear ones visited the hospital and enquired about the treatment of the injured.
Chairman of the Madrasha Managing Committee M Selim Parvez alleged that the helper was driving the bus after the driver got down from it at Gaibandha Bus Terminal, on the way to the Madrasha.
A pall of gloom descended in the area and the town over the news of the tragic death of the students.
