Driving test under police protection; MVD officer's daughter fails driving test

THIRUVANATHAPURAM: Motor vehicle department conducted driving test under police guard at Thiruvananthapuram Muttathara amid protests by driving school organizations. The three participants, including the daughter of a motor vehicle department officer, failed the driving test conducted under police protection.

Motor Vehicle Inspector Vinod's daughter came to the 'H' test after the road test. The rear of the car that was brought for test was damaged in an accident. Pointing out that the rear door was dented, the protesters stopped the vehicle, alleging that it happened in an accident during the road test and that the 'H' test is going to be conducted for a person who failed the road test. The police intervened and let the girl and two other people who had come for a two-wheeler test go inside. Then the 'H' test for car was conducted, but the girl and the two people who came to the two-wheeler test failed. The protestors who were waiting outside howled at the girl before she left. Later, the protestors cheered in front of the vehicle. It is the first time in 10 days that the test is being held in Muttathara.

Meanwhile, Vinod, who is also the general secretary of the Motor Vehicle Gazetted Officers Association, filed a complaint with the Valiyathura police, alleging that some people stopped and verbally abused his daughter who had come for the test. The protestors did not stop the person who came for the driving test at Chevayoor in Kozhikode.

Strike in front of Secretariat

A joint protest committee of driving school organizations staged a strike in front of the secretariat against the driving test reforms. The leaders of the strike committee said that they will intensify the boycott strike from tomorrow.

Hundreds of people participated in the Secretariat March. Except for CITU, all the organizations took part in the strike. M.Vincent MLA, who inaugurated the strike, asked what the minister who said that vehicles older than 15 years should not be used for the tests had to say about the age of KSRTC buses.