• NET Web Desk

Road accidents have been a major cause of concern across the nation. Such injuries and deaths impose financial burden, thereby pushing entire household into poverty and the already poor into debt, a major cause of rise in Economically Weaker Section (EWS) Communities or unemployment.

Recently, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) revealed in its annual ‘Crime India’ report for 2020 that around 1.2 lakh deaths were recorded in 2020.

During this time, public movements was also restricted. This stood to be the main reason of the decrease in road accidents, if compared to 2018 and 2019.

If North Eastern regions are taken into account, as many as 3,142 people died in road accidents in 2020.

Deaths due to negligence related to road accidents have been the highest in Assam with 2502 victims.

The lowest have been recorded in Nagaland with 33 victims.

In Arunachal Pradesh, as many as 69 people have lost their lives due to negligence related to such accidents.

The figure stood at 124, 133, 43, 37, and 201 for Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim and Tripura.

According to the report, out of 69, a total of 14 people have died in road accidents related to hit and run cases. While, out of 2502 cases, a total of 897 were reported to be of hit and run cases.

In Manipur, out of 124 victims, 63 victims lost their lives in hit and run cases.

In Meghalaya, 38 cases were reported of hit & run.

Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim & Tripura reported 35, 16, 4, 99 cases of Hit & Run.

It is pertinent to mention here that none of the NE states have reported any cases of deaths caused due to negligence relating to rail accidents.

However, if medical negligence is taken into context, only two Northeastern states have reported such deaths – Assam and Tripura.

A total of 9 cases were reported of medical negligence in Assam, and all the victims have lost their lives due to such ignorance.

While, in Tripura all the 2 victims have lost their lives due to medical negligence.

No deaths have been reported from North eastern states due to negligence of civic bodies.

According to the report, the figure of road accidents stood at 1.36 lakh in 2019 and 1.35 lakh in 2018.

It is pertinent to note that India remained under complete lockdown from March 25, 2020 and May 31, 2020 due to COVID-19 Pandemic (First Wave).