Faced with flak for alleged inaction in preventing reckless driving by young two-wheeler riders, which culminated in the death of a degree student who was crossing the road in front of Nirmala College, Muvattupuzha, on Wednesday, the MVD and the police have decided to intensify rule enforcement and to step up surveillance.
Namitha R., 19, of Valakom was fatally knocked down by a bike driven by Anson Roy, 22, while her friend Anusree Raj, 19, suffered grievous injuries. The bike rider was reportedly a history sheeter.
A senior police officer said that Roy, who was admitted to a hospital with injuries, has been charged under Section 304 of IPC, since the two students were safely crossing the road in front of their college during the day when the bike rammed into them. The offence, ‘culpable homicide not amounting to murder’, could attract life imprisonment and fine.
We have decided to reactivate CCTVs and to step up enforcement against drunk driving, the police officer said. Many students and other road users who witnessed the accident had complained of inaction by the police and MVD, despite youth indulging in reckless and often drunken driving in front of schools and colleges in Muvattupuzha. They added that they had warned Roy just a few minutes before the accident, as he was indulging in dangerous driving in front of the college.
A high-ranking MVD official said most young riders pay the fine if they are charged for reckless driving, and continue to do the same. This shows that fine alone is not a deterrent. “This leaves us with no other option but to cancel/revoke the driving licence of those whose driving causes death. In Wednesday’s accident, the bike rider knocked down students who were safely crossing the road. The FIR needs to be seen to ascertain whether he was under the influence of narcotics.”
Both the police and MVD officials said young bikers mostly speed away even if they signal them to stop for inspection. Personnel will be deployed in mufti at junctions and at hubs where youth converge, to keep a tab on illegally altered and other two-wheelers – including those with unintelligible number plates. Sadly, courts are most often reluctant to award prison term to drivers, even if it is proven beyond doubt that they caused death or grievous injury due to careless or reckless driving, they added.
