Howrah: Two policemen died and two others were injured in a hit-and-run case in the Bagnan district on Thursday morning. The deceased personnel have been identified as Sujoy Das, assistant sub-inspector, and Palash Samant, constable.
The two injured policemen have been shifted to Kolkata for treatment and are in critical condition. According to sources, a police patrolling vehicle was proceeding towards Bagnan near Varunda when a truck hit it from behind and its driver fled immediately.
Das and Samant were seated in the backseat of the patrolling car and were grievously injured after the collision. On hearing the news of the accident, locals rushed to rescue the police personnel and admitted them to the hospital.
However, when taken to the hospital, the injured duo were declared dead by the doctors. Bagnan police have initiated an investigation to track the absconding truck driver and the truck. Concerned about the spike in hit-and-run incidents on national highways across the country, the Central Government introduced a new criminal law- Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS).
The new law provides imprisonment up to 10 years and/or a fine of Rs 7 lakh for serious road accidents due to negligent driving and where drivers run away without informing the police. Truckers, on the other hand, had decided to stage a three-day nationwide protest against this law stating that daily-wage drivers can't pay such a hefty amount. They also said most truck drivers choose to run away after accidents as they will have to otherwise face mob justice, which can even prove to be fatal.
However, within two days, the truck unions across the country called off the strike with the intervention of Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla who chaired a meeting with the All India Transport Congress on January 2. The incident in Howrah intensifies the Centre's concerns about hit-and-run cases and questions the authenticity of the protests.
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