Students miss JEE exam due to Pawan Kalyan's convoy traffic, probe ordered

The police refuted the claim stating that no traffic was blocked there till 8.30 am

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Around 20 students who missed their JEE (Mains) exam in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam on Monday have alleged that they were delayed because of the traffic caused by Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan’s convoy.

 

The incident occurred near the Ayan Digital exam centre in Visakhapatnam’s Pendurthi. Parents of many of these students gathered around the centre expressing frustration about their student missing the exam due to traffic disruptions.

 

Describing the incident as heartbreaking, one parent told India Today, that children have been preparing for such exams for years, and now they have to lose out because of something beyond their control.

 

'No traffic was blocked': Police

 

The Visakhapatnam City Police, however, have refuted these claims, stating that the students were supposed to report to the examination centre by 8.30 am as per their admit card and Kalyan's convoy passed the area at 8.41 pm. “Hence, it is clear that the movement of the Hon’ble Deputy CM through that area cannot have any link to the late arrival of students,” the police said in a statement.

 

The police further claimed that no traffic was blocked on the BRTS road or the adjacent service roads before 8.30 am, specifically to facilitate smooth passage for exam candidates."

 

The police also said, "Monday recorded the lowest absentee numbers, including late arrivals, since the second session of JEE began on April 2."

 

Probe ordered

 

The office of the deputy chief minister responded to the controversy saying that Kalyan has ordered an inquiry into the news reports that some students were unable to appear for the JEE exam in the Pendurthi area.

 

"How long was the traffic stopped for the convoy? What was the traffic situation on the routes where the students had to reach the exam centre at that time? Was any traffic control done on the service roads?  Visakhapatnam police to inquire on the issue," the statement read.