Rajesh Kumar, Police Darpan, J&K
Five vehicles seized and drivers arrested for carrying children far beyond permitted seating capacity
Poonch, September 19: In a major initiative to safeguard school children and enforce traffic discipline, Poonch Police on Saturday launched a special drive against the overloading of school buses, vans and auto-rickshaws in the district.
During the drive, police teams conducted checks at various locations and found five school vehicles carrying children far beyond their authorised seating capacity. The vehicles were immediately seized and their drivers arrested on the spot for endangering the safety and lives of the children.
According to Poonch Police, vehicle number JK12D-8651 was found carrying 22 children against its permitted capacity of 10. Similarly, vehicle number JK12C-8997 was carrying 18 children against a capacity of 10, while vehicle number JK12D-3055 was found transporting 20 children against the approved seating capacity of 10.
In another case, vehicle number JK12D-4808 was carrying 25 children, more than double its permitted capacity of 10. Vehicle number JK12C-9451 was also found overloaded, carrying 17 children against a capacity of 10.
Police said that such violations pose a serious risk to school-going children, particularly in the event of sudden braking, road accidents or other emergencies. Overloading reduces the driver’s ability to safely control the vehicle and leaves children without adequate seating and safety measures.
In connection with the violations, FIR Nos. 179/2026, 180/2026, 181/2026, 182/2026 and 183/2026 have been registered at Police Station Poonch under Section 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the erring drivers.
The special enforcement campaign was launched as part of Poonch Police’s continuing efforts to promote road safety and ensure that school children travel in secure and legally compliant vehicles. Police officials said that strict action will be taken against anyone found violating prescribed norms for transporting children.
Poonch Police has appealed to school authorities, vehicle owners and drivers to ensure that school vehicles are not overloaded and that all applicable traffic and safety regulations are strictly followed. Schools have also been urged to monitor the vehicles engaged for transporting students and ensure that they operate within approved capacity limits.
The police reiterated that the safety of children remains a top priority and warned that such drives will continue across the district. Parents and members of the public have also been encouraged to report instances of overloading or unsafe transport practices to the nearest police station.
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