According to the police in Salem, a 29-year-old skating coach was arrested on Tuesday June 18, 2024 for making his students practice in a national road.
The person running the academy is M. Prabakaran who resides at Tiruchengode in Namakkal district and runs Kannankurichi’s skating academy located in Salem city. On Monday June 17 he took along with him twelve pupils from his academy allowing them skate accordingly on the national highway leading between Salem and Namakkal near Seelanaickenpatti without having any police authorization, which is against traffic rules. People captured that incidence on video as children were seen skating amidst cars and uploaded it onto social media platforms where it went viral.
Subsequently, Mallur police conducted an enquiry and filed a case under Sections 268 (public nuisance), 283 (danger or obstruction in a public way or line of navigation), 290 (punishment for public nuisance) of the Indian Penal Code and section 75 (punishment for cruelty to child) of the Juvenile Justice Act. The skating coach was then detained by them on Tuesday for questioning.
Parents of these students were also summoned by police, who warned them about dangerous activities that could harm their children’s lives. Police also counselled both sides separately.