India News | Chhattisgarh: Truckers, Bus Drivers Protest Against 'hit and Run' Provision Under New Penal Law

Raipur, Jan 1 (PTI) Drivers of commercial buses and truckers on Monday stopped work and staged protests at several places in Chhattisgarh demanding the withdrawal of the provision in the new penal law regarding hit-and-run accident cases involving motorists.

The protests caused inconvenience to several commuters and also affected the transportation of goods to an extent.

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People queued up at petrol pumps in various cities fearing that the agitation may hit fuel supply in coming days.

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Drivers of more than 12,000 private buses across the state stopped work on Monday, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded at bus stations in Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg, and Rajnandgaon among other cities. Stranded passengers were seen trying to make alternative travel arrangements.

Many passengers at the inter-state bus station in Bhatagaon in Raipur rushed to hire private taxis and auto-rickshaws to reach their destinations.

"Around 1 lakh drivers, including those engaged in operating buses, trucks, transport and school buses, have launched a protest on Monday as a part of 'steering chhodo andolan'," Chhattisgarh Vahan Chalak Sangh convener Jitendra Shukla told PTI.

He said "chakka jam" protests will be held in various districts beginning Tuesday against the new provision on hit-and-run accident cases.

"Protests will continue until this provision is revoked," he added.

Under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), which replaced the colonial era Indian Penal Code, drivers who cause a serious road accident by negligent driving and run away without informing the police or any official from the administration can face punishment of up to 10 years or a fine of Rs 7 lakh

Shukla said the 10-year jail term and Rs 7 lakh fine are very harsh on drivers.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)