Chandigarh/IBNS: Three people including the principal and driver have been arrested in connection with a school bus accident that took place in Haryana's Mahendragarh on Thursday, media reports said.

Six students died and 20 others were injured after the bus overturned.

A four-member panel has been set up to probe into the accident.

The school also received a show cause notice for keeping it open even on a public holiday on the occasion of Eid.

About 35 students belonging to Class IV to X were heading to the GL Public School on Thursday when the bus carrying them rammed a tree and overturned.

The bus belonged to the school and documents showed that the bus' fitness certificate had expired six years ago, in 2018. A state road transport official has been suspended in connection with the case.

The driver, who allegedly jumped out of the bus just before it rammed into a tree, was allegedly drunk.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the deaths of the schoolchildren and assured of all possible help by the state government to the victims' families.

In a post on X, he wrote: "The bus accident in Haryana's Mahendragarh is extremely painful. My condolences are with all the families who have lost their children in the accident.

"I wish for the speedy recovery of all the injured children. Under the supervision of the state government, the local administration is engaged in providing all possible help to the victims and their families."