Maharashtra man stops auto carrying 17 schoolchildren, asks driver to explain

A man stopped an auto-rickshaw carrying 17 schoolchildren in Maharashtra’s Bhiwandi and asked the driver to explain why he was transporting so many passengers in the three-seater vehicle. A video of the incident has gone viral on social media.

The footage showed several children squeezed around the driver, while others were seen occupying the rear and luggage area of the auto-rickshaw. Six to seven children appeared to be seated in the back, while another two to three were seen in the luggage compartment behind the rear seat.

The man who recorded the video stopped the vehicle and asked the children to step out. He then made them wait to one side while repeatedly questioning the driver about transporting so many children in the auto.

The driver initially pointed to a railing inside the vehicle while attempting to explain how he was carrying the children. He also assured the man that he would not repeat the practice.

When asked about the number of children, the driver said he usually transported 15 and had taken the additional ones along because they had turned up that day.

The overcrowding raised concerns about the children's safety, particularly in the event of an accident or emergency, when getting out of the vehicle quickly could prove difficult.

As the video gained traction online, Bhiwandi traffic police took action against the auto-rickshaw driver.

Residents, meanwhile, have raised concerns that overcrowded auto-rickshaws carrying children are not uncommon in the city.

Several schools provide bus services, but some parents opt for private auto-rickshaws to avoid bus fares. Where schools do not offer transport facilities, families often depend on local auto-rickshaw drivers to take children to and from school.- Ends(With inputs from Mithileshkumar B Gupta)Published By: Raya GhoshPublished On: Sep 24, 2026 16:32 IST