Blood On Road: Hit-&-Runs Kill 331 In 2024, Does Anybody Care?

Nagpur: The city has emerged as the third worst-hit city in India for hit-and-run deaths, with 327 casualties in 2024, as per NCRB data. Of 331 hit-and-run victims in 2024, 329 more families are waiting for justice along with Atif and Hussain, even as the city's law enforcement grapples with poor surveillance and the criminal justice system crumbles under caseload.This represents an 18% rise from 277 deaths in 2023, placing Nagpur behind only Delhi (642) and Patna (332), while overtaking major metros like Mumbai (190), Bengaluru (204), Hyderabad (227) and Pune (121).These statistics fall under the category of "causing death by negligence relating to road accidents — hit and run — where drivers flee the scene without aiding victims or reporting to authorities. Traffic department data of the city further reveals 312 hit-and-run accidents in 2025, resulting in 96 deaths and 274 injuries. This year so far, 86 cases have been reported, claiming 24 lives and injuring 79 people in just four months.One of the most shocking cases was the Ram Jhula hit-and-run in Feb 2024, where a recklessly driven car killed two people, sparking citywide outrage. In April 2026, the death of 72-year-old yoga teacher Mangala Kewte in Dharampeth again highlighted the issue when she was mowed down by a speeding SUV during her morning walk. While some drivers, like in the Kewte case, were arrested, many others continue to evade justice.Alarmingly, more than 1,300 CCTV cameras across the city remain non-functional — nearly 600 offline, more than 150 dismantled or faulty, and the rest plagued by technical and maintenance issues. This has severely delayed investigations, allowing offenders to escape."Hundreds of families are waiting for justice, but who's listening," said a victim's kin. Road safety activists and citizens blame rash driving, speeding and poor traffic discipline for rising toll. With the surveillance system in shambles, police struggle to trace vehicles and drivers, leading to low conviction rates and emboldened offenders.Residents are now demanding urgent fixes — repair of CCTV network, stricter enforcement of traffic rules and faster case resolutions. As another year progresses with fresh casualties, the question remains: How many more lives must be lost before authorities wake up to this preventable crisis?