Udupi : The students of Milagres College, took out a two-wheeler rally focusing on the importance of wearing helmets while riding two-wheelers here on Thursday. There were about 200 two-wheelers, including motorcycles and scooters, in the rally.

The Udupi District Police is promoting voluntary wearing of helmets among the public, especially the students of PU and degree colleges, from Thursday. This is being done to prevent death and grievous injuries to students riding two-wheelers.

The rally was flagged off from Milagres College in Kallianpur by the college Correspondent Rev. Fr. Stany B. Lobo. All the student riders, and in some cases even the pillion riders, wore helmets and passed through Santhekatte, Ambagilu, Gundibail, Kalsank, City Bus Stand, Service Bus Stand, Diana Circle, Jodu Katte, and Brahmagiri Circle before culminating at the District Police Office.

Throughout the rally, announcements on the importance of wearing helmets were made through the microphone. The pillion riders held placards with slogans such as “Hell is met if you do not wear helmet”, “Speed thrills, but kills”, “Don’t drink and drive”, “Road safety rules are best tools”, “Fast drive can be your last drive”, “Drive safe, Arrive safe”, and “Be Alert, Don’t get hurt”.

Speaking at the culmination of the rally, K. Annamalai, Superintendent of Police, said the district police had been contacting the heads of all PU and degree colleges in the district for the last couple of months and urging them to make wearing of helmets compulsory in their colleges.

“This is a voluntary drive as there is no government order making wearing of helmets mandatory in Udupi district. There has been a positive response. We expect all colleges to comply with our voluntary drive within a week,” he said.

Besides Milagres College, the students of the St. Mary’s College had taken out a rally on road safety in Shirva.

The district police had used social media to highlight the need for using helmets and road safety.

“We have put up short films on road safety on our police website. Many students have purchased new helmets,” Mr. Annamalai said.

Neri Carnelio, Principal of Milagres College, said the college had made wearing of helmets compulsory for all its students coming on two-wheelers. “There is 100 per cent compliance of the rule in our college,” he said.

P. Yuvaraj, president of Udupi City Municipal Council, Janardhan Tonse, Chairman of Udupi Urban Development Authority, were present.