BANGALORE: Kishore Kumar Mondal, 21, a native of Bihar had come to the city hoping to earn bread. He was a cook with city-based caterers. While going on Ramana Maharshi Road on May 10, a speeding car knocked him down.The car driver had sped away with no interest to be considerate. Although Kishore’s friend had rushed him to a nearby hospital, doctors declared brought dead.In Bihar, his family members dependent on Mondal’s earning, find it hard to make two ends meet.In another instance, Arjun Hari Nair, 28, a young businessman, met a similar fate on September 15, when he was hit by a car, a result of reckless driving.Police had stated that Nair would have survived if he was treated in time.But the cab driver, who was in a rush to drop an IBM employee, did not bother to check what had happened to the victim.Nair, who is from an affluent family, died of multiple injuries and bleeding. His family members, who were expecting him to be an entrepreneur, are now living with his memories.“Nothing can describe the agony of losing my brother Arjun. Neither the educated passenger nor the driver stopped to help him. They did not call for police or ambulance service. They just drove away leaving him to struggle for his life and bleed to death. Finally, an hour later, an ambulance arrived but it was too late. Arjun passed away before he reached the hospital. They are responsible for his death,” said Mrinalini Nair, Arjun’s sister.Ravi H S, 32, an attender in Race Course, sustained severe head injuries after a car hit him when he was going for work on August 29, 2010. He had to undergo a surgery which cost him about Rs 2 lakh. But as the vehicle involved in the accident was not traced, the victim did not receive the insurance money also.His employers paid his medical bills, which is still getting deducted from his salary. “I get meager amount as salary. I am dependent on my family. Till date I have not got the insurance. I think it will take some more years to improve my financial condition,” he says.Similarly, Manjunatha, 42, a private firm employee was hit by a Tempo in Sheshardripuram in Oct 2010. The only bread winner for his five-member family, Manjunatha was killed on the spot. Here too, the victim’s family did not get compensation. After the incident, his wife Yashoda,was forced to join an agarbathi factory. “I have to take care of three daughters, who are still studying.There is no other option left for me other than working.”POLICE SPEAKAdditional Commissioner of Police (Traffic & Security), Dr M A Saleem, opines that the number of hit and run cases have come down this year compared with the last two years.“People are gradually learning that it is not a crime. Such incidents are reported only now and then. It is important for people to learn that they should stop their vehicle and arrange immediate medical aid to the victim ,” he said.He also said that people should shelve the fear that they would be held responsible for the accident. “An accident is not a criminal conspiracy.So, people should inform the police about the accident and follow certain legal procedures. If they fear and speed away, they will be in more trouble as they will be booked under stringent laws. Moreover, they should also think on humanitarian grounds about the plight of the victim and their family members,” he added.Regarding solving hit & run cases, he opines that in today’s scenario its difficult for offenders to escape.“Such cases are mostly reported on the outskirts of the city and the vehicles can be easily traced as it is all recorded on cameras. If it happens on interior roads, then it is difficult to solve the case,” he explained.Does technology help?Technology is playing a vital role in cracking crime cases. Just by tracking the location of the mobile phone used by an accused, police have been successful in solving numerous cases.Even for smooth movement of traffic, the police are taking help of technology.But when it comes to solving hit & run cases using technology, the number of cases solved are very less.With the help of Global Positioning System (GPS), the police recently solved two hit & run cases in which Kishore Kumar Mandal and Arjun Nair were killed.The police went through the records and found which cars had left the International Airport one hour before and after the incident. Later, they matched which cars had passed the spot where the accident occurred and zeroed on the cars behind the accident.
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