PRIVATE bus and truck drivers on Monday enforced a ‘chakkajam’acrossmanyStates in protest against a new hitand-run law, which attracts a 7 to10 yearprisonsentence for drivers falling foul of it. 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.

 

Drivers enforced a ‘chakka jam’ on Pithampur Highway in Dhar in Madhya Pradesh by putting obstacles on the road. Members of an organisation representing the drivers also staged a protest on the streets of  Bhopal at the Board Office intersection. Gyan singh Yadav,acab driver who was also among the protesters on Monday, couldn’t hold back his tears. In the Chhattisgarh capital, Raipur, with buses were anchored in their sheds, regular commuters and interstate passengers bore the brunt of the protests. In Navi Mumbai,apoliceman was injured when a group of truckers attacked him in Nerul in the morning hours,prompting police to use force to disperse the mob gathered on the Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway, an official said. Truck drivers tried to blocktraffic on the Mumbai Ahmedabad Highway in Mira Bhayandar area in Thane district and hurledstones at police personnel,leaving a police maninjured.

 

A police vehicle was damaged in stone pelting. Road blockadeprotests were also held in Solapur, Kolhapur, Nagpur and Gondia districts, officials said, adding that thesituation in Navi Mumbai andother places is under control. In Nashik district, tankerdrivers stopped work and parked more than 1,000 vehicles in Panewadi village, hometo fuel depots, on Monday.