Kolkata, Feb 19 (IANS): A five-year-old school girl was on Tuesday run over by a speeding bus in front of her mother in the Dum Dum area of North 24 Pargana district in West Bengal, police said.

The incident took place on the Jessore Road in Dum Dum's Nagerbazar around 10 a.m.

"Anushka Kar was run over by a private bus while on her way to school. She was declared brought dead in the hospital," an officer from Dum Dum police station said.

According to the eye-witnesses, the girl got down from a bus along with her mother near the Nagerbazar bus stop. She was run over by the same bus before she could step aside.

Police have seized the bus but the driver fled from the spot.

Following the accident, a group of angry guardians blocked the road to protest against rash driving in the area. They also protested at the school accusing it of not providing sufficient number of school buses for students.

"The school authority has no responsibility. They have very few school buses. As a result, many of our kids have to travel in private buses. They should immediately post some attendants outside the school premises for safely escorting students," a guardian said.