After brush with crime, young adults to get a second chance

To help young adults in conflict with the law chart a different career path, Delhi Police have decided to provide free professional drivers’ training to select socio-economically backward youth who turn to petty crimes. Subhendu Ray reports.

To help young adults in conflict with the law chart a different career path, Delhi Police have decided to provide free professional drivers’ training to select socio-economically backward youth who turn to petty crimes.

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To start with, 25 such youngsters will be trained in commercial driving at the Institute of Driving Training and Research (IDTR), Sarai Kale Khan, from next week.

Delhi Police recently tied up with auto-major Maruti Suzuki to train such youths under its flagship programme called Yuva, the objective of which is to take initiatives to wean away young adults who for want of proper educational and sports facilities could take to crime.

Along with practical training on driving, traffic rules and road safety, there will be a special capsule on behavioural aspects such as anger management, road rage and awareness on HIV and alcoholism, officials said.

“This is a unique initiative on our part to restrain the youth involved in petty crimes from getting into major crimes and help them taste the income of honesty,” said Deepak Mishra, special commissioner of police (Law and Order).

Mahesh Rajoria, director, IDTR said, “While we give the incumbents safe driving training, we are aware of the sensitivities involved with these learners. In line with this, we will try and do more than just safe driving training — behaviour, self-esteem, positive habits are some of the things to which we will give equal attention.”

He expressed hope that the training would not only reform them but also enhance their chances of getting employed.