Truck, bus drivers' protest against new hit-and-run law enters day 2; long queues seen at petrol pumps in Mumbai, Nagpur

Truck, bus and taxi operators' protest across states against the new law on hit-and-run cases continued for the second day. The criminal code law, which replaced the Indian Penal Code (IPC), provides up to 10 years of punishment for fleeing an accident spot without reporting the incident.

Before this, the punishment in such cases was two years in the IPC. However, now under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), drivers who cause a serious road accident by negligent driving and run away without informing any official can face imprisonment of up to 10 years.

What does the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita say

(1) Whoever causes death of any person by doing any rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, and shall also be liable to fine. 

(2) Whoever causes death of any person by rash and negligent driving of vehicle not amounting to culpable homicide, and escapes without reporting it to a police officer or a Magistrate soon after the incident, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description of a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.

On Tuesday, petrol pumps in Mumbai and Nagpur witnessed long queues as people came to fill up their vehicle tanks fearing shortage of fuel amid the protest by truck drivers against the provision in the new penal law on hit-and-run accident cases involving motorists.

Maharashtra

Truck drivers staged "rasta roko" protests at many places in Maharashtra on Monday against the provision in the new penal law. The protests raised the spectre of a shortage of fuel in some places.

Truck drivers reportedly blocked traffic on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway in the Mira Bhayandar area in Thane district and threw stones at cops, leaving a policeman injured. A police vehicle was damaged by stone pelting.

Road blockade protests were also held in Solapur, Kolhapur, Nagpur and Gondia districts, officials said, adding that the situation in Navi Mumbai and other places is under control.

The Maharashtra government has requested police to ensure uninterrupted supply of petrol, diesel and LPG cylinders in the market amid the protest by truckers.

Rajasthan

"There were jams on Dholpur-Karauli route, Udaipur-Nathdwara route, Sawai Madhopur-Kota Lalsot route, Bhilwara-Ajmer route and Anupgarh-Ganganagar due to the protest. Operation of roadways buses was affected but it resumed after police intervention," Rajasthan State Roadways Transport Corporation Spokesperson Ashutosh Awana said.

Madhya Pradesh

In Bhopal, drivers staged an agitation at Lalghati and stopped city buses and vehicles, and some protesters also gathered at Board Office Square in MP Nagar.

Road blockades were seen in some places in the state due to protests by drivers. Long queues were witnessed at petrol pumps due to panic over fear of disrupted fuel supply in various cities.

Punjab

Many commercial vehicles, including trucks and buses, refrained from operating across Punjab on Monday to protest against the new law. Truck drivers initiated a protest on the Ludhiana-Ferozepur Road in Moga, disrupting traffic.

Reportedly, the protestors are garnering support from drivers associated with Punjab Roadways, Punjab Road Transport Corporation (PRTC), and private bus companies.

(With PTI inputs)

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