Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Unfortunate

The killing of seven pavement dwellers in Mumbai when they were run over by a car carrying late night revellers was heart-rending. It is indeed unfortunate that an irresponsible motorist killed the poor eking out a living by the sweat of their brows.

The incident is only the latest among thousands of accidents that occur in India. The need of the hour is to educate people on traffic safety, have wider roads, and strict action against errant motorists.

J. Shankaranarayanan,
Hyderabad

That a country which boasts of a growth rate of 8 per cent is unable to provide its poor a place to sleep in, leaving them on pavements to be mowed down, is a cause for serious concern.

Vivek Sheoran,
Gurgaon

The incident is shocking. It is a sad commentary on the functioning of the law enforcing-authorities vis-à-vis drunken driving in the metropolis.

J. Anantha Padmanabhan,
Srirangam

It is the parents who are to blame for such irresponsible behaviour of youngsters. The punishment in such cases should involve work for the welfare of the downtrodden. Putting the offenders behind bars along with hardcore criminals will not help in the process of their reformation.

Rahul Bishnoi,
Panchkula, Haryana

It has now become routine for celebrities and children of the well-to-do to drive recklessly in the wee hours of the night after a party. Often, they end up killing and maiming a few innocent people. They are arrested but most of them get out on bail. The cases drag on for ages, with judges granting adjournments. By the time they reach a stage of conclusion, key witnesses disappear or turn hostile. The victims' families are threatened or bought over. In the end the guilty get away or are given a mild sentence. For justice to prevail in such cases, there should be swift investigation and prosecution. Trial should be continuous in a fast track court without adjournments. Dispensation of justice must be sure and swift.

K. Venkataraman,
Mumbai

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