MUMBAI: Deaths in hit-and-run cases, in which pedestrians and two-wheeler riders are mainly the victims, comprise over 30% of road accident fatalities in the country, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
In Mumbai, of 1,681 road accident deaths between 2017 and 2020, over 17.5% were hit-and-run deaths. This proportion for Maharashtra during the same period was much higher, at over 23%.
Experts say that the majority of road accident victims, especially of hit-and-run cases, die because of not getting immediate medical assistance. They could be saved during the golden hour if only accused drivers would not speed away.
“Hardly five percent of hit and run cases remain unsolved. In such cases, the accused are booked under the Motor Vehicles Act for not providing medical assistance to the victim, apart from IPC sections where the accused are booked for rash and negligent driving and culpable homicide not amounting to murder,” said additional director general of police (traffic) BK Upadhyay.
A research article by Nehal Kharyal from Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies (VIPS) describes major hit and run cases and their legal consequences. “The biggest issue in these cases is a lack of direct evidence, because of which it becomes difficult for the police to investigate.”
IPS officer-turned-lawyer YP Singh said that in cases related to motor accident deaths, there is a complete lack of clarity in the legal definition of what constitutes “accidental death” and what constitutes “culpable homicide not amounting to murder”. While accidental death is a bailable offence, culpable homicide is not. “In many cases, this leads to arm-twisting by the police. Many times milder sections are applied even in serious cases. It is this lack of clarity that often leads to inflicting injustice to the victims and their families,” said Singh.
A transport official said that in general (all cases considered, and not only hit-and-run) pedestrians account for 47% of fatalities on Mumbai roads while bikers comprise 41%. Speed management and pedestrian infrastructure improvements are key to reducing deaths among such road users, he said, adding, “All pedestrian pathways should be free from encumbrances (like encroachments by hawkers).”
