KOLLAM: The Motor Vehicles Department on Thursday impounded the tourist bus with which its driver had performed stunts at a school ground at Vendar near Kottarakkara and registered a case against him under Section 184 (driving dangerously) of the Motor Vehicles Act. The vehicle’s fitness certificate was also cancelled.
The tourist bus, ‘Nazco’, which was hired by Vidyadhiraja School for a study tour to Ooty and Mysuru for higher secondary students, returned around 1am on Thursday.
On Wednesday, the MVD served a notice on the tourist bus operator after a video of the dangerous stunts on the school ground went viral on social media. “The vehicle has been seized and the vehicle’s fitness certificate cancelled. Based on the notice issued by us, the owner and the driver, Renju, reported themselves to the Regional Transport Office. Only after the RTO officials hold a hearing, further action will be taken,” said Kollam motor vehicle inspector Firos M I.After a primary investigation by the MVD, the vehicle has been handed over to the Puthoor police station for further proceedings.
Also, a lookout notice has been issued for the persons seen following the bus in a car and on motorcycles. According to the officials, the blue car seen in the video is an Ernakulam-registered vehicle. It is also learnt that the people in the car and on motorcycles were not school students, but a part of a team of the bus operator, said the MVD officer.
The incident happened at the school ground on Sunday. The stunts were performed by the driver of the rented tourist bus during a fun time held before the school tour of higher secondary students. In the video, the driver is seen taking the bus in circles on the ground at high speed as the students look on. The video also shows youngsters performing stunts in a car and on motorcycles following the bus.
Meanwhile, the MVD has issued notices to the owners of two tourist buses which were seen circling students on the ground of an Anchal school to report to the RTO.