A man from Kannur district has been booked by the police after a video of his 13-year-old son driving a car on a public road surfaced online, sparking concerns over road safety and parental responsibility. The footage, reportedly filmed near the family's residence in Chekkiad, shows the minor skillfully maneuvering an Innova car on a busy road.
Authorities stated that although the video was originally uploaded on social media in October 2023, it recently gained traction after being flagged on the "Subhayathra" portal—an initiative by the Kerala Police to report traffic violations, reported PTI.
Following this, law enforcement officials took swift action and registered a case against the boy’s father, identified as 37-year-old Naushad, for permitting an underage driver on public roads.
"The accused had uploaded the reel on social media in October. Somebody has shared the visuals in our Subhayathra portal recently and we soon initiated action as there was a clear offence," the officer said, as per the report. Naushad has been booked under Section 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for endangering life and personal safety, along with relevant provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act.
Not The First Instance
It is to be noted that this is not the first instance of reckless behavior linked to Naushad. Police disclosed that he had previously gained attention for driving a car while his son sat on its roof. However, since that incident occurred within private property, no legal action was taken at the time.
This case has reignited discussions on the role of parents in ensuring road safety.
Meanwhile, the 'Subhayathra 2015' project, launched by the Government of Kerala, aims to enhance road safety and reduce the number of accidents that occur across the state.
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