Death by drunk driving is murder, nothing less

Last week, the 21-year-old son of a businessman and two of his women friends -drunk -drove a sedan into a two-wheeler on Mysuru Road, injuring two bikers, one seriously . The boy behind the wheel did not rush the injured to hospital. Instead, he tries to escape, and while doing so, rams the car into an autorickshaw.

The two accidents left three men -all breadwinners of their families -injured. The auto driver is fighting for life on a bed at Nimhans.The drunk youngster, a law student, who was handed to the police by other road-users, got his bail the same day . For all you know, he is already back at the wheel.

Such cases of people sitting in the cool comforts of their cars with windows rolled up and letting alcohol drive the vehicle, are several. They are confident that they can get away by paying a bribe or by making use of the loopholes in the system which, many a time, the police are too happy to facilitate for the rich and powerful.

Need proof ? Two years ago, Rajesh Reddy , the 22-year-old son of a wealthy politiciancum-industrialist, caused a bloodbath on MG Road with his Audi. Heavily drunk, he hit an auto, killed a passenger and left two others permanently handicapped. Even after the mayhem, the Ashok Nagar police infamously registered a weak case. But for media pressure, this offender would have got away.

That the experience barely taught Rajesh Reddy a lesson became evident when he repeated his crazy driving in the busy Koramangala area in March this year, prompting the Cubbon Park police to nab him.That such people get to keep their driving licence and use them too is a slap on the face of the law-keepers.

The Bengaluru police will inspire confidence only if they act tough on drivers who have little or no respect for the life of others. How will anyone respect the law if these killerdrivers are allowed to walk away? And why does the police use the most potent sections in law -that can ensure a few weeks in jail -selectively?

Death by drunken driving is nothing short of murder but the police shy away from saying so unless it is a Salman Khan or a Janhavi Gadkar behind the wheel.