Law allows easy escape for errant drivers

The families of several accident victims have expressed their resentment against Section 304-A of the IPC stating “it is a licence to kill people and escape after a two-year imprisonment.”

The families of several accident victims have expressed their resentment against Section 304-A of the IPC stating “it is a licence to kill people and escape after a two-year imprisonment.”

HT Image

The move gained significance after a BMW collided head-on with a car carrying five people in May, killing a pregnant woman and the driver. The other three car occupants were seriously injured.

The BMW driver was allegedly driving without licence at a speed of 200 km per hour.

“Yes, there is need to introduce changes in Section 304-A, IPC. The government should think about it so that the accused cannot escape after committing heinous crimes,” said a former DGP of Haryana.

“There is need to amend Section 304-A which is not sufficient in the existing definition to bring the accused to task. The home ministry should ask the law ministry to do the needful – either broaden its definition or make an additional Act. This could be on the lines of the US Crime Acts. Though the offence is same, the punishment is quite different in India and the US, where it is termed as manslaughter and the minimum punishment is between 10 to 20 years,” said SK Chowdhury, former joint commissioner of police, New Delhi.