BENGALURU: Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh has taken a serious note of highway accidents in Hoskote and MN Halli, killing 12 persons in total, including five minors in the Bengaluru Rural police limits. On Tuesday, he instructed the traffic police to conduct a special drive starting Tuesday against underage riding/driving.
He said, “The traffic police have made a detailed plan to address the issue. Vehicle keys should be handed over only to those who have valid licences. Cases will be booked against minors, their parents and owners of vehicles. I am requesting and warning parents not to allow their minor children to ride/drive.”
In 2023, the traffic police booked 95 cases against minors and their parents, in 2024 the cases went up to 197 and last year, 414 cases were filed. Karthik Reddy, Joint Commisioner of Police (Traffic), said, “Minors either without the knowledge or encouragement of their parents are involved in accidents in the city. If any minors are caught, we will book cases against the minors, vehicle owners and their parents and will produce them before court. The drive will be regular. I request parents to keep a vigil on their children.”
Seven persons, including five minor boys, died on the spot in the accident involving a new XUV 700, a two-wheeler and a canter on Friday between 4.30 am and 4.45 am on the access-controlled Satellite Town Ring Road (STRR) expressway between Hoskote and Devanahalli near Kamablipura. On Saturday night, five persons died in an another horrific accident on the flyover near Jindal Hospital on the Bengaluru-Tumakuru road.