Uttar Pradesh officials meet students, promise road repairs

A day after schoolchildren in Uttar Pradesh's Mahoba district blocked a highway to protest a damaged road and alleged police misconduct, senior officials visited their village and assured them action. District Magistrate Ghazal Bharadwaj and Superintendent of Police Shashank Singh met students at Raipurakalan on Thursday and promised repairs to the waterlogged stretch, investigation into police conduct, and consideration of demands for a library, stadium and water supply.

The children had blocked the highway for nearly three hours, placing logs and stones on the road. They said deep potholes, waterlogging and heavy commercial vehicles serving local dal mills had made the road unsafe, causing e-rickshaws to overturn and children to be injured. They also alleged police, including SHO Manish Pandey, used force, physically assaulted some students and threatened their parents during the protest.

Bharadwaj said it was unfortunate the children had to take to the streets and advised them not to block highways in future. Temporary repairs using a JCB machine have begun, and permanent work is to be completed within a month after the monsoon. The administration said strict action would be taken against any police personnel found responsible for assaulting the students.