Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
A day after schoolchildren in Uttar Pradesh’s Mahoba district blocked a highway over a damaged, waterlogged road and alleged police misconduct, senior officials visited their village and assured them that their grievances would be addressed.
District Magistrate Ghazal Bharadwaj and Superintendent of Police Shashank Singh visited Raipurakalan on Thursday and held a direct interaction with the students. The officials assured them that repairs to the damaged road would be taken up and that allegations of police misconduct during the protest would be investigated.
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India Today was the first to report the students’ protest and their allegations of police misconduct. Following the report, the administration reached out to the children and other residents of the village.
CHILDREN BLOCKED HIGHWAY OVER BAD ROADS
The schoolchildren from Raipurakalan had blocked the highway for nearly three hours earlier this week, placing wooden logs and stones on the road to demand repairs to the stretch connecting their village to the main highway.
The students said deep potholes, waterlogging and excavation along parts of the route had made their daily journey to school difficult and unsafe.
They alleged that e-rickshaws and auto-rickshaws had frequently overturned on the damaged stretch, with some children suffering injuries.
The students also blamed heavy commercial vehicles, including trucks serving dal mills in the area, for worsening the condition of the road. They alleged that overloaded vehicles regularly used the route and wastewater from some mills flowed onto the road.
STUDENTS ALLEGE POLICE USED FORCE
The protest escalated after the students alleged that police personnel used force while attempting to clear the highway.
The children accused police, including SHO Manish Pandey, of behaving rudely, physically assaulting some students and threatening action against their parents.
They said they were forced to take to the highway because repeated complaints about the road had failed to bring any relief.
DM, SP HEAR STUDENTS’ GRIEVANCES
During their visit to the village, the DM and SP interacted with the students and heard their demands, which included repairs to the road, a village library, a stadium and improved water supply.
Bharadwaj said it was unfortunate that the children had to take to the streets to draw attention to their problems. She also advised them not to block highways in the future, pointing out that such protests could disrupt emergency services.
She encouraged the students to approach their teachers or government officials directly with their grievances.
TEMPORARY REPAIRS BEGIN
The district magistrate said the damaged road, constructed by the Zila Panchayat, had developed potholes due to the movement of heavy commercial vehicles.
With the monsoon continuing, temporary repair work has been started using a JCB machine. Bharadwaj said permanent construction work would be undertaken within a month after the rains subside.
The administration also assured the students that their demands for a library, stadium and better water supply would be considered.
The administration also assured the students that their allegations against the police would be investigated.
Officials said strict action would be taken against any police personnel found responsible for assaulting or mistreating the children.
The students maintained that they would not have needed to block the highway had their concerns been addressed earlier.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
