Three innocent teenagers lost their lives and one seriously injured thanks to a speeding car that crashed into their scooters head-on, in Bhugaon.
The travesty of life in India continues – The culprit gets easy bail, while the four families and their friends cry for justice!
I can understand the anguish, distress and heartache of the parents and friends of Manas Upadhyay, Kunal Sharma and Shubham Madar – all tender 18-year-olds who lost their lives thanks to the fatal head-on accident, courtesy a driver of a Honda Accord – 25-year-old Darshan Jamke
The immediate family and well-wishers are deeply anguished apparently, thanks to how everyone, right from mainline media to the authorities blaming these children for not having worn helmets. Interestingly, the culprit driver has got a reprieve through bail and made out to be innocent in the public eye.
Unarguably helmets must be worn by two-wheeler riders as a safety gear. However, in this case though, it may be just another statistic that these three fatalities were helmet-less.
The car that collided against these two-wheelers was apparently travelling at a breakneck speed, allegedly at 130kms per hour! The impact was so severe that, besides killing three of the four teenagers astride their two-wheelers and seriously injuring the fourth one, it turned turtle and ended up completely smashed on all sides.
The alleged killer driver Jamdade is free on bail, probably scouting for high-end lawyers to free him of this case. He probably has not much to worry. He may just be absolved of all the responsibility of these fatalities, knowing how many such errant drivers have got away scot free, be it well known bollywood actors or just rich kids.
Consider this: Jamdade has allegedly been the cause oof this fatal accident, and as per news reports, he has been booked under Sections 279, 304A, and 338 under the Indian Penal Code. It is a mockery it seems, as he will only need to pay out a maximum of Rs.1,000 fine and at best, be imprisoned for six months to one year. This is no punishment even if awarded, considering the gravity of the fatalities and loss of innocent lives.
This tragedy brings back sombre memories of a similar mishap involving my daughter and her three friends, about a decade back on Lullanagar Road in Pune.
The only difference, the fact that they were in a car. A speeding car, driven by a 20 year old rammed head on into my daughter’s friends’ car. Subsequently, her friend at the driver’s seat, Fasim Gafoor, a brilliant youngster, who was on his first job with LG was previously injured and passed away in a city hospital, three days later.
When I went to the concerned police station a few days later, to check the progress of investigations, the driver had been freed on bail despite it being established, that he didn’t possess a driving license, was carrying a fake license and tested positive for alcohol.
As for the investigations, the constable rudely reported that our case was not the only one, and they have not had time to take the version of witnesses yet! This is despite the fact that there were several people at the accident spot and a week down the line would only make it tougher to get hold of those people.
I requested my media fraternity friends to carry a small notice, appealing to witnesses to record their version at the police chowkey. Four to five witness did go and record their version at the Police Chowkey but later I heard, tutored witnesses had been allegedly used to cleanse off the culprit from his crime.
Twelve years later, we still cry for Fasim, while the culprit is probably driving around the unabashedly. Twice or thrice I had visited the Cantonment Court, where the case seemed to be stagnating. Each time I was told disdainfully, that older cases were pending and it’s a long queue. Period.
For the past 15 years or more, the central government has been talking of introducing stringent punishment for reckless, drunken drivers.
Two years back, I was invited by IBN Lokmat to Mumbai, to participate in their special episode, wherein the leading politicians of Maharashtra were invited. I recollect asked prominent leaders on what has been done about harsh penalty for reckless and drunken drivers who are on the prowl in thousands every day, killing and maiming people while they themselves go scot free.
I remember Nitin Gadkari replying to me saying that this is his priority and it will be done. No law yet from the Government unfortunately!
It is this hopeless, helpless and annoying reality, that has led the friends of the teenagers to launch an online petition that has already been signed by about 60,000 people.
You may also sign the petition in this link: https://www.change.org/p/jurisdiction-of-india-demand-for-justice-of-18-year-old-college-students-who-died-because-of-rich-brats
Why is it that we have to live by grief and memories and not with a hope for justice?
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#All views expressed in this article are those of the columnist and Pune365 does not necessarily subscribe to them.
That's Vinita Deshmukh, Senior journalist and RTI activist who believes in journalism that reflects the views and needs of the common man.
Get Real And Stay Relevant says Vinita,
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