ZIMBABWE -a Grade 7 pupil died on the spot after she was allegedly struck by a mental patient with a stone on the left ear while on her way from school.

Reports indicate that a 12-year-old girl, Natasha Manunure, was struck with a big stone on her left ear by a well-known mental patient called Derick just a few meters away from her home.

She was returning home from Sandara Primary School just after finishing her exam and was walking along Nyonizonke Road while concentrating on an Agriculture Paper 1 question paper she was holding when the tragic incident happened.

According to an eyewitness,  Sydlen Chimalizeni, who resides at a house close to where the incident occurred, he said he heard a noise that sounded like a firecracker followed by a sharp scream before he went out to investigate.

He said he saw Natasha lying on the ground groaning and writhing in pain and the accused fleeing from the scene. Chimalizeni revealed that he tried to perform first aid on her but it was already too late.

The witness also reaveled that Derick is a mental patient who is notorious for assaulting and pelting stones at girls and women.