Culpable homicides

Kerala roads recorded a spike in accidents during Onam. Among them, the road accident that occurred in Mynagappally, where a housewife lost her life, is unprecedented and deeply shocking. If the person who drove the car had not acted with cruelty, the housewife would not have lost her life. The housewife fell underneath the car after being hit by it. Despite the locals shouting not to move the car, the driver, unable to move forward, reversed the car and quickly drove away, running the car over the body of the fallen woman. The woman who passed away was a cancer patient. The car driver, Ajmal, has several criminal cases in his name. He has been charged with culpable homicide, among other serious charges. The police have also registered a case against Sreekutty, the female doctor who was with him, on charges of incitement.

According to the locals, Sreekutty urged Ajmal to take the car forward and flee the spot soon after the accident. The police said that both Ajmal and Sreekutty were under the influence of alcohol. Fousiya, who was riding the scooter, sustained injuries and is undergoing treatment. Although stringent measures have been announced against those found driving under the influence of alcohol, it seems that such tendencies are not decreasing. It's unacceptable to justify the fact that innocent pedestrians and passengers in other vehicles have to suffer lifelong injuries or even death due to the reckless actions of drunk drivers, as fate. There should be a law to extract hefty compensation from those responsible in such incidents and provide it to the families of the deceased and the injured. A law that allows for the confiscation of assets of those who commit culpable homicide, to provide compensation, is essential.

Drunken driving and reckless speeding are often the causes of numerous accidents. On Thiruvonam day, seven lives were lost in road accidents in Thiruvananthapuram district alone. In Varkala, three youths died after their bikes collided. Additionally, one person died after being hit by a bike while crossing the road in Mangalapuram. Two separate vehicle accidents near Kulathoor on the bypass claimed the lives of two people, including a pedestrian. In Neyyattinkara, an autorickshaw driver lost his life in a collision with a car. Among the seven deceased, three were under the age of 20. To address this alarming trend, government and private agencies must initiate awareness campaigns to educate young drivers about the dangers of reckless speeding.

We still lag behind in cultivating a responsible road culture. The absence of basic civic sense is alarming, as people readily engage in heated arguments over minor issues, causing traffic disruption. Most drivers refuse to slow down or apply brakes even when elderly individuals wait to cross the road. By integrating traffic awareness and road safety education into school syllabi from primary classes onwards, we can instil responsible driving habits and civic sense in future generations, thereby mitigating the current woes to a considerable extent. Stringent and exemplary measures are necessary to prevent the repetition of irresponsible acts like the Mynagappally incident. It is imperative that every driver realizes and internalizes the fact that caution on the road ensures safety and prevents sorrow.