Kanpur descended into chaos on January 2nd, 2024 as truck drivers blocked highways across Kanpur Nagar and Kanpur Dehat districts to protest a strict new hit-and-run law that is part of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita. Traffic came to a standstill at major junctions like Ramaipur Dharampur and Seodhari villages as protesting drivers parked their vehicles on arterial roads, bringing the bustling city to its knees.
The demonstration comes in response to a controversial new law that imposes fines of Rs 7-10 lakh and 5-10 years imprisonment for truck drivers involved in fatal hit-and-run accidents. The harsh punishments have enraged the trucking community across the region. Police attempted to reason with the defiant crowd of over 300 trucks blocking National Highway 19 near Rajendra Crossing in Raniya and clear the highways, but the drivers refused to budge.
Facts and Figures
According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, India recorded over 4.5 lakh road accidents in 2019, resulting in more than 1.5 lakh deaths and 4.5 lakh injuries. Out of these, about 12% were hit and run cases, where the driver responsible for the accident did not stop to help the victim or inform the police. Such cases pose a challenge for the investigation and prosecution of the offenders, as well as for the compensation and rehabilitation of the victims.
What is New Hit-and-Run Law
“The punishments under this law are too harsh. 7 years in jail and Rs 7 lakh penalty even for accidental cases is unacceptable. We will continue our protest until the government withdraws this anti-driver law,” said Ramesh Kumar, president of the Kanpur Truck Operators Union, which represents over 50,000 truckers in the region who are ready to intensify the agitation if needed.
With temperatures soaring to 40°C, stranded motorists grew increasingly frustrated as the standoff dragged on for hours. Local residents brought water and food to help the drivers withstand the sweltering heat.
The truckers submitted a memorandum to the President’s office demanding the immediate repeal of the “draconian” hit-and-run penalties. “We are not criminals. Accidents can happen unintentionally too. This law will destroy our lives without proving guilt,” the letter read.
Road safety experts counter that the harsh punishments are necessary to curb rampant hit-and-run cases. “Heavy vehicle drivers have been flouting basic traffic rules for too long. Stricter laws are the only way to change that attitude and protect innocent lives,” said Dr. Amit Singh, professor of traffic engineering at IIT Kanpur.
But the drivers remain firm in their protest that began on January 2, 2024. “Our protest will intensify if the government does not listen,” Kumar declared. With trucks essential for supplying produce and materials across India’s heartland, the defiance spells further disruption for Kanpur and beyond in the coming days.
As the sun set over Kanpur’s choked roads, there was no end in sight for the truckers’ rebellion against the controversial hit-and-run law that is part of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita. The stage is set for a prolonged standoff between the drivers and the authorities in the coming days if the new penalties of Rs 7-10 lakh fines and 5-10 years imprisonment for accidental hit-and-run cases are not amended.
The Way Forward
The hit and run law in India is a controversial reform that has divided the opinion of the stakeholders. On one hand, it is seen as a necessary measure to curb the menace of hit and run cases and to provide justice and compensation to the victims. On the other hand, it is seen as a draconian and arbitrary law that will harm the interests and rights of the drivers.
The law needs to strike a balance between the two perspectives, and to ensure that it is implemented in a fair and transparent manner. The law also needs to be accompanied by other reforms, such as improving the road safety, awareness, and enforcement, and protecting the ‘Good Samaritans’ who help the victims and the witnesses of the accidents. Only then, the law can achieve its objective of reducing the road fatalities and injuries, and enhancing the accountability and responsibility of the drivers.
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