COIMBATORE: Cracking the whip against drunken driving after drunk private bus drivers were involved in two fatal accidents in the city recently, police have started booking cases against drunk drivers under section 304 (ii) of the Indian Penal Code instead of 304 (A) IPC.
On May 6, ten people suffered injuries after being hit by a private bus in front of the Gandhipuram bus stand. The driver who was caught by the public, was in an inebriated state and was arrested. Even as the video of the accident was doing rounds on social media, another accident was reported in the same area on May 15 . A 40-year-old farmer Sivakumar from Nilgiris and his mother were allegedly knocked down by a private bus as the driver reversed the vehicle without noticing him. He got trapped between two buses and died on the spot. The driver Thirunavukkarasu (40) was found to be under the influence of alcohol was handed over to police by public.
Following the accidents, police recently convened a meeting with bus owners and advised them to ensure their staff operate buses abiding by the road safety norms, especially without consuming alcohol. The police also warned that if anyone was found with such serious violations, stringent action would also be taken against them and also their employers who fail to monitor them, the sources said.
City police commissioner V Balakrishnan told TNIE that they have started registering such cases under section 304 (ii) of IPC (Culpable homicide not amounting to murder If the act is done with the knowledge that it is likely to cause death, but without any intention to cause death, etc).
“Earlier such cases were booked under the IPC section 304(A) (Causing death by rash or negligent act). Legal action is being taken to prevent such accidents from driving under the influence of alcohol,” he said.
Section 304 (A) of IPC is a bailable offence and the punishment is only two years of imprisonment or a fine or both whereas 304 (ii) of IPC is a non-bailable offence and entails minimum of 10 years imprisonment or a hefty fine or both.