Tengpora Accident: Invoke Section 199A Against Erring Parents, 3-Year Jail, Rs 25000 Fine: RTO Kashmir

 ANB: The Regional Transport Officer (RTO) Kashmir on Friday asked police to invoke Section 199A against parents of children indulging in rash driving and stunt biking. 

While Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has also expressed grave concern over the alarming rise in vehicular accidents across Kashmir urging parents to exercise caution in providing young individuals with vehicles, particularly motorcycles and cars, which they often use recklessly at high speeds.

According to the Associated News Bureau (ANB), Shahnawaz Bukhari, RTO Kashmir was reacting to the tragic accident in Srinagar city on Thursday, in which two minor students were killed.

Bukhari said that he would write and request the police to invoke Section 199A against the parents for negligence. Bukhari said that Section 199A is a cognizable offence that cannot be compounded at his level, implying that the police must take action.

He expressed confidence in the competence of the police force to invoke Section 199A against erring parents. He said that children driving is a social problem that requires collective responsibility.

“It is crucial for parents to understand the consequences of allowing minors to drive. Our department has always been tough on violators,” he said while emphasising that society must also abide by the law,” he said.

“One accident should be enough to awaken the entire society, but unfortunately yesterday’s is not the first incident involving unlicensed minors,” he added.

“Parents must prevent their children from driving,” the RTO said, referring to the six-month imprisonment term for erring parents.

Acting tough on violators, SSP Traffic Srinagar city, Muzafar Ahmad Shah has urged people to stop minors from driving vehicles.

The SSP said that traffic police take stringent action against violators, seizing vehicles and taking action. He appealed to parents, school teachers and coaching centre management to disallow minor students from using vehicles and scooters.

On social media, the majority of locals held parents accountable for allowing unlicensed, untrained, and unsupervised minors to drive. 

Meanwhile, Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq today expressed grave concern over the alarming rise in vehicular accidents across Kashmir. 

He noted with deep sorrow, “Each day, we hear about traffic accidents claiming precious lives. Just yesterday, two young boys tragically lost their lives, and a third is battling for his life.” 

Mirwaiz urged parents to exercise caution in providing young individuals with vehicles, particularly motorcycles and cars, which they often use recklessly at high speeds. He remarked, “Parents must be wary of granting their children access to bikes and cars that they speed on, endangering their own lives and others.”

He also criticized the government’s lack of seriousness in addressing the growing traffic issue leading to such incidents , also highlighting that many people, particularly the young, ride motorcycles and scooters at fast speeds and without helmets, risking severe injuries or fatalities. Mirwaiz called on authorities to take stringent measures to ensure compliance with traffic regulations and to promote road safety awareness.

Mirwaiz also felicitated  the Sikh community on their religious festival of Gurpurab “Our Sikh brethren have stood shoulder to shoulder with the Muslim community through thick and thin, even during the most challenging times, including the tragic Chattisinghpora incident. Despite such ordeals, they chose to remain steadfast in their bond with us,” he said.

Mirwaiz expressed hope that the ties between the communities would continue to grow . “The bond between the two communities is rooted in mutual respect and love for the land . We must ensure it flourishes further.” (ANB)