Brooms, Not Bikes: Hyderabad Minors Face Community Service for Illegal Driving
Hyderabad | April 21, 2025: In a sweeping crackdown on underage driving, the Hyderabad police have booked over 1,200 minors since April 5, turning bike rides into court-mandated community service.
At the Saidabad juvenile home, dozens of minors are now sweeping courtyards instead of speeding on roads, a result of a special drive launched to curb illegal driving among minors. More than 200 minors have been sentenced to social service, with many now facing public accountability and private regret.
Parents—some teary-eyed, others stunned—admitted their role. A 30-year-old single mother recalled giving her son a bike to fetch medicines. “He took friends along and was caught. It was totally my mistake,” she said.
At counselling sessions held by the traffic police, parents were warned of the deadly consequences of underage driving. Many cited a tragic crash on the Dr Manmohan Singh Expressway, where three minors died after hitting a median.
One parent worried aloud: “Though police said the case won’t impact their future, we’re scared.”
According to Hyderabad Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) D Joel Davis, the law is clear—if a minor is caught, the vehicle owner (often a parent) is also held accountable. In some cases, charge sheets have been filed, and vehicle registration cancellation is under process.
As per the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, minors are prohibited from driving. But for hundreds of Hyderabad families, the lesson came too late—via courtrooms, counselling halls, and brooms.
