Hundreds of schoolchildren in Kolkata are heading for yet another harrowing time, as city pool car owners have decided to go for an indefinite strike from Monday.

The Pool Car Owner’s Welfare Association (PCOWA) has called the bandh to protest against the alleged police atrocities after the state government announced a crackdown on illegal pool cars on Friday.

The PCOWA is one of the biggest pool car associations and runs cars for school kids in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area. They are expected to be joined by other groups as well. The members of the association alleged that around 2,000 vehicle owners had applied for route permits in the Public Vehicles Department and Regional Transport Offices. But till today none of them have been issued permits, they said.

“We have been demanding for permits to run our pool cars since 2002. But the state government has not taken any steps till date. Now, they have suddenly decided to show their strictness by cracking down on innocent vehicle owners,” said PCOWA secretary Abir Roy.

“The Public Vehicles Department (PVD) inspectors are misbehaving and abusing the drivers and slamming Rs 3000 spot fine on them,” Roy added.