Jamshedpur, Feb. 14: Seven of 10 students, crammed into an auto-rickshaw on way to school, were injured early this morning when their three-wheeler toppled over trying to avoid a collision with an approaching motorcyclist, the incident prompting the district administration to launch a drive to rein in rogue autos.

Local residents rushed the injured students and the driver of the auto to the emergency unit of Tata Main Hospital after personnel from nearby Kadma police station reached the spot in their jeep. They were all released after treatment.

Today's accident took place at Kadma-Sonari Link Road around 7.30 am when the auto driver, Bhola Prasad, was on way to St Mary's Hindi High School at Bistupur with 10 students, four whom were girls.

The auto lost balance while negotiating a bend. The driver claimed he lost control after trying to avert a collision with the motorcyclist who came onto the road suddenly. The driver claimed the motorcyclist did hit his auto, but the police could not immediately confirm this.

The seven students who were injured are Gaurav Tigga, Liza Kujur, Amisha Kujur, Arisha Kujur, Raizal Tigga, Baishnat and Shrishti Kumari. The driver hurt his hand and leg.

Later, the driver was taken to the Kadma police station. He was let of after the police recorded his statement,

"We released the injured driver as he explained how the accident happened. He said he applied the brakes of his three-wheeler while trying to save a motorcyclist and, in the process, lost balance. There was no complaint from any parent," said Kadma police station officer-in-charge Rajiv Prakash Sinha.

Today's was the second accident involving autos with school children. On February 3, an auto-rickshaw, with students of Kasidih High School, overturned near the Sitaramdera bus terminus. Four students were hurt. The police claimed the auto driver was drunk.

East Singhbhum deputy commissioner Amitabh Kaushal has directed district transport officer (DTO) Sanjay Kujur to launch a sustained drive against overloaded school vans and those operating on LPG cylinders.

"I have asked the DTO to take the help of traffic police and ensure that safety standards prescribed in the law for school students are complied with by vehicles," he said.

The commissioner's directive comes after parents' outfit Jamshedpur Abhibhavak Sangh lodged a complaint with him on February 5, asking that action be taken on rash drivers of autos and vans ferrying school children.

"It is not possible to carry out a sustained drive due to shortage of manpower. However, we can carry out a random drive to instil fear among school van drivers against violating rules," Kaushal said.