Two teenage boys died and as many were injured when their car rammed into a stationary truck before hitting a road🐟 divider, sparking calls from various quarters, including🅘 political parties, for strict action on underage driving in Kashmir.
The accident occurred on Thursday at Tengpora on the Srinagar-Baramulla🧜 highway when the teenagers were driving an SUV. CCTV footage of the incident has been widely circulated on social media.
Hamaad and Aseem Sofi, both aged 17, died in the accident, leaving their families devastated. Of the t♕wo other persons injured, one of them is in a critical state.
🔯Politicians, including Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, expressed grief over the loss of lives as the accident has renewed calls from the civil society to curb undera♑ge driving.
"Our road sense shows no sign of improving," Abdullah said on X while ܫcondoling the loss of lives🍸 in the accident.
"Heartbreaking visuals. This accident claimed precious youn🍸g lives and has had a devastating impact on their families. My heart goes out to the families of the boys killed in this tragic accident. May Allah grant them a place in Jannat," he added.
The chief minister also said, "Our cars get quicker, our roads get better but our road sense shows no sign of improving. Speed thrills but it kills with no remorse. Traffic rules are there for a reason, they keep 𝔉us safe but only if we follow them."
Senior Superintendent of Po🤡lice (SSP) (Traffic) Srinagar City, Muzaffar Shah, appealed to parents to not allow minors to have access to either two or four-whe🥂elers.
"All four children in the ✤vehicle were studying at a particular school. The issue is how did the parents allow the boys to have access to the four-wheeler. Had there been no access, this unfortunate accident💞 would not have happened," he said.
The SSP (Traffic) said th🧸e prime responsibility is of parents because a minor with no driving licence should not get access to a two or four-wheeler. "The (CCTV) footage shows they were speeding. Had there been no speeding, maybe evasive action by them could have g꧃iven them a chance, and saved them," Shah said.
He also said, "We have been seizing vehicles driven by minors and counselling them. But🌜 there are over five lakh vehicles in the city, so it is not possible to counsel or talౠk to or act against every road user."
The police ha🌺ve been continuously making efforts, includin𒊎g through social media, to appeal to the parents not to give minors access to vehicles, Shah said.
He also held schools responsible for allowing minors to come in ☂two-wheelers or four-wheelers. "I🃏t has to be a cooperative and collaborative effort from parents, schools and traffic police. We have to be on the same page to stop this," the SSP (Traffic) said.
"In the past two to three days, we are specifically focussing on minors and excluding all other viola♕tions for now.
"If parents are not enough, let us do it for them. We were expecting help from society and parents but they're not cooperating... These are our own kids, the future of our society. Within the parameters and re꧑sources available to us, we w𒀰ill try to curb it in the shortest period of time," the SSP told PTI Videos.
"Once a vehicle driꦅven by a minor is seized, all laws applicable are included in a challan. Now we haꦫve intensified it more," he added.
Asked about data on road a𒐪ccidents in the Valley involving minors, the SSP said, "I don't have many details as of now, but... this year the number of fatalities was fewer compared to previous years▨."
In his Friday sermon, Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also expressed grave conꦗcern☂ over the alarming rise in vehicular accidents across Kashmir.
With deep sorrow, he noted, "Each day, we hear about traffic accidents claiming precious lives. Ju🍒st yesterday, two young boys tragically lost theiཧr lives, and a third is battling for his life."
The Mirwaiz urged parents to exercise caution while giving youngsters vehicles, particularly motorcycles and cars🎐, which they often drive recklessly.
He said parents must be wary𒁏 of granting their children access to bikes or cars they drive at high speed, endangering their own lives and that of others.
Netizens have also expressed serious concern over the accident and many demanded that action should be taken agains𒅌t the parents for allowing minors to drive vehicles on roads.
