Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde said on Monday he was deeply alarmed by the rising number of hit-and-run cases in the state and pointed out that it is “intolerable for the powerful and influential to misuse their status to manipulate the system.”
Shinde’s statement came day after a woman identified as Kaveri Nakhwa, 45, was mowed down by a luxury car that hit the bike, she was riding with her husband on Sunday in Mumbai’s Worli.
“I am deeply alarmed by the rise in hit-and-run incidents in Maharashtra. It is intolerable that the powerful and influential misuse their status to manipulate the system. Such miscarriages of justice will not be tolerated by my Government,” wrote Eknath Shinde on X (formerly Twitter).
“The lives of ordinary citizens are precious to us. I have directed the State Police department to handle these cases with the utmost seriousness and ensure justice is served. In addition, we are implementing stricter laws and harsher penalties for hit-and-run offenders,” he added.
Assuring action will be taken against the guilty, the Maharashtra chief minister said that he has zero tolerance for injustice.
{{/usCountry}}Assuring action will be taken against the guilty, the Maharashtra chief minister said that he has zero tolerance for injustice.
{{/usCountry}}“No one, whether rich, influential, or the offspring of bureaucrats or ministers, affiliated with any party, will have immunity as long as I am the Chief Minister of the State. I have zero tolerance for injustice. Let it be clear: my administration stands firmly with the victims and their families. We are committed to creating a safer Maharashtra for all its citizens.”
Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra, Vijay Wadettiwar, said the egos of ruling party leaders have grown. “They believe they can act with impunity. Law and order has deteriorated. The police and administration are not proactive. If there were a strong deterrent from law enforcement, incidents like the Mumbai car incident wouldn't occur. People lack fear,” he added.
On May 19, a Porsche car driven by a teenager, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, crashed into a bike in Pune city’s Kalyani Nagar area, resulting in the deaths of two techies.
Subsequently, the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) ordered that the minor be placed under the care and supervision of his parents and grandfather. The board also directed him to write a 300-word essay on road safety as part of his rehabilitation process.
Last month, the minor was released from the observation home after the Bombay High Court held that the orders remanding him to the facility were illegal. He has now submitted a 300-word essay on road safety complying with the bail conditions of the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB).