Road accidents are on rising in the state with at least one person losing a life on a daily basis and there seem to be no strict norms been laid down by the government as yet. The traffic police look to be more curious about issuing the challans and collecting Rs. 100 for the same but when the issue of maintaining the traffic is concerned it takes the last bench. In this case, the truck driver crushed the motorcyclist coming on the wrong side and escaped from the scene. People blocked the road agitating for the presence of the truck driver.
The recent accident at Dabolim had claimed the life one youth which was the mistake of the mini bus driver as he gave the control of the steering to the conductor and the conductor drove the bus in a rash and negligent manner. There are many such cases wherein the bigger vehicles such as bus, truck and tanker drivers drive in a rash and negligent manner in the state which ultimately costs the lives of innocent people.
In the present case, the sources have revealed that Diptesh Sawant (18) was proceeding on his two-wheeler (GA-03-S-0377) towards Arambol when an oncoming truck carrying laterite stones first struck two two-wheelers and later hit the two-wheeler driven by Sawant. The impact of the mishap was so severe that the rider got dragged for more than 10 meters till the truck came to a halt on the wrong side of the road. The mishap led to a traffic jam for hours on the stretch.
According to the reports published in The Goan claimed that following the accident, trouble broke out at the accident site. Locals gathered at the site got furious over the delay in the arrival of an ambulance and that demanded the presence of truck driver at the accident spot who fled the scene after the accident.
The Pernem police said that deceased Sawant came under the front wheels of the truck and died on the spot. The truck driver fled from the accident spot fearing a backlash from the mob and went to the Pernem police station. Locals gathered at the site and contacted the 108 ambulances, but got furious as the ambulance failed to reach the spot in quick time. In such condition, the Pernem police reached on the site but the furious people obstructed them from doing their duty, said the sources.
The irate mob stopped a policeman from moving the truck and they did not allow the media persons to click photos of the incident. The agitators demanded the presence of the truck driver at the spot. The police tried to pacify the crowd, but they were not ready to listen to the police. Traffic along the road was also disrupted due to the accident. Pernem Traffic PI Sachin Narvekar rushed to the site and diverted traffic along another route. After pacifying the mob, the police removed the body and sent it to GMC Hospital in Bambolim. Pernem Police has detained the truck driver and is investigating the case.
Based on the report published in the local daily The Navahind Times, later on, the truck driver Prashant Tuekar surrendered himself before the Police and the Pernem police registered an offense against the truck driver and arrested him for rash and negligent driving. According to Pernem police, the accident took place on Wednesday afternoon at around 3.30, when the truck knocked down a Yamaha two-wheeler resulting in the rider, Diptesh Sawant, 18, succumbing to his injuries on the spot. As the news of the accident spread in the village, the locals gathered at the accident spot. Taking cognisance of the huge presence of people, DySP Mahesh Gaonkar along with Pernem PI Rahul Parab, Mapusa PI Rajendra Prabhudessai, Anjuna PI Sanjay Dalvi, and traffic PI Tushar Vernekar with a police force rushed to the site to avoid law and order situation.
Every time the accident takes place, people gathers and agitate and police do its job of pacifying the mob but once that moment is over everybody forgets the incident. There is a serious need for traffic education in the state. The process of the issuance of the licenses may need to be more stringent especially for the heavy vehicles as well as the youngsters. Besides this, the state traffic department may need to spend some budget towards the traffic sense awareness program on the regular basis.
SOURCE : VARIOUS SOURCES | IMAGE SOURCE : PRUDENT
