Truck drivers to go on indefinite strike in Karnataka today
Karnataka Truck drivers will go on an indefinite strike from today against the new hit-and-run law, which imposes a ₹7 lakh penalty, with 10 years in jail.
Truck drivers in Karnataka are all set to go on an indefinite strike from today onwards in protest against the newly introduced law for hit-and-run cases. The Federation of Karnataka Lorry Owners’ Association had earlier said all truck drivers across the state have been asked to support the strike and keep their vehicles off the road.
It is not yet clear how much impact this state-wide strike will have. (HT PHOTO)
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C Naveen Reddy, president of the association, said the union government came to a “unilateral decision” that was “hasty” and that they did not consult them before arriving at it.
The new provision under the stringent law imposes a penalty of ₹7 lakh on the accused, with a jail term of 10 years for hit-and-run cases, as opposed to the two years in the previous provision. This comes under the recently passed Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
This comes after the operators of trucks, taxis and buses went on a three-day nation-wide strike in the beginning of the month in protest of the same law. Many urged the central government to withdraw the provision, claiming that it could lead to “undue harassment”.
Local transport unions in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar, private buses, trucks, oil tankers and taxis remained off road during the period. The country saw a partial impact from the strike, with some states reporting a low availability of fuel, as oil tanker drivers also backed the protest.
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.
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