Surat schoolkids take a risky ride, cops take action

Surat: Schoolchildren in Surat are forced to take risky rides to school everyday.

Atleast 10 children are crammed in an autorickshaw, but little do they know the risks as their tiny vehicle speeds through busy roads.

More than 5,000 autorickshaws in Surat ferry school children, but only 10 per cent of them have permission and most carry double the number of children allowed. Unable to control this, the traffic cell of Surat police now have issued a notification to parents.

"If parents are sending more than six children in the rickshaws, they are helping drivers in violating the law and we will consider action against the parents as well,” says Commissioner of Police, Surat City, R M S Brar.

But what's interesting about the notification is that parents are being held as much responsible as the autorickshaw drivers for carrying more than six children. Parents though are angry at this decision of the police.

"How can we be held responsible? Even we want safety of our children. The police must ensure stricter implementation,” says a parent, Mina Modi.

Although no parent has been arrested yet, the Surat police seem to have sent the right signals.

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