Members in both the Houses of Parliament mourned the death of 22 school children and the driver of the private school bus which met with an accident at an unmanned railway crossing in Medak district of Telangana Thursday morning.

Making a statement in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda announced an ex-gratia of Rs. Two Lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased. Rs. One Lakh to the grievously injured and Rs. 20,000 to persons who sustained minor injuries.

The Minister said that as per preliminary information the accident occurred due to the negligence of the bus driver.

Meanwhile, members from Telangana complained against the low ex-gratia and demanded the amount should be increased to Rs. Five Lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased.