The Dakshina Kannada School Vehicle Operators’ Association which had resorted to an indefinite strike opposing, what it called, police harassment to its drivers called off the stir on Friday.
According to the association, private school vans and other vehicles will operate from Saturday. It ended the stir reportedly following an assurance by D. Vedavyas Kamath, Mangaluru City South MLA, and Police Commissioner Sandeep Patil to look into their grievances against the police.
Honorary president of the association Sunil Kumar Bajal told reporters here on Friday that after the association suspended operations, several parents called Mr. Kamath to address their issues.
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Mr. Kamath called the association members and has assured them of addressing the issues and asked the drivers to end the strike.
Mr. Patil met members of the association around noon and asked them to bring to his notice instances of faulty booking of cases by police.
Private school vehicle operators withdrew their services on Thursday for alleged harassment by the city police while booking cases for overloading of school children since June 2nd.
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The drivers alleged that police were booking them even while they were carrying 1.5 times of the seating capacity of the vehicle, which was permitted under the Motor Vehicle Rules.
Apart from hefty fines, the city police recommended suspension of driving licence.
Umesh Shetty, a member of the association, claimed that police have booked cases even when two to three students were in the vehicle.
Mr. Patil said the action of the police was as per the directions issued by the Karnataka High Court on June 17. The police have been told to conduct special drives and suspend driving licences of all vehicles that were overloading students.
The city police, along with other units in the State, will file a report on the action taken in the High Court on July 17.
“If there are any issues in the way cases are being booked, vehicle owners can bring it to my notice,” the commissioner said.