By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
DEHRADUN, 20 Dec: The death of a woman in a hit-and-run incident on Rajpur Road early last Monday has once again brought the spotlight on the disturbing apathy with which road accident cases are being handled by the Dehradun police. Despite clear leads available with it and also information provided by the victim’s family and despite the repeated appeals by the victim’s family and mounting public concern, no concrete action has been taken so far towards arresting the accused by Doon police. This is deepening the sense of injustice and mistrust among the people.
According to the family, the woman was hit by a speeding car in the early morning hours, after which the driver fled the scene. She was brought back home in a critical condition and was later declared dead. The police initially assured the family of prompt action. What followed, however, has been a prolonged silence on part of the police. The family reportedly provided the police with the registration number of the vehicle involved, which is reportedly a Dehradun-registered car number. Shockingly, local residents claim that the vehicle continues to remain parked outside the residence of the accused car owner in the city, yet no arrest has been made.
Such inaction has not only added to the family’s grief but has also shocked local residents, who see this case as a reflection of a wider pattern. Road safety activists and civil society members have repeatedly pointed out through digital platforms and newspaper columns that hit-and-run cases in Dehradun often witness delayed investigations, weak follow-up and, in some instances, quiet settlements, eroding deterrence.
Uttarakhand’s road accident statistics paint a grim picture. More than 700 people have lost their lives in road accidents over the past three years, while over 200 fatalities have already been reported this year. Dehradun, Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar consistently top the list of districts affected by speeding and rash driving. In addition, vehicles driving in the hills and falling off the road into gorge on a regular basis itself should be a cause of major concern. National and regional media reports have frequently highlighted poor enforcement of speed limits, inadequate night patrolling and delayed response in accident-prone zones.
This episode resonates painfully with earlier tragedies widely reported in local and national media. In November 2024, a speeding multi-utility vehicle collided with a container truck at ONGC Chowk in Dehradun, killing six young people instantly and critically injuring a seventh. The horrific crash, attributed to excessive speed, profoundly shook society and drew widespread calls for safer roads and stricter enforcement.
In another case earlier this year, a speeding car on Rajpur Road near the Sai Temple struck and killed four labourers while injuring others; the driver fled the scene, triggering an extensive but slow-moving police hunt. These incidents are not isolated statistical entries but human tragedies with families shattered and communities grieving.
A discussion was also held in respect of lawlessness on roads in the recently concluded Crime Literature Festival of India held in Dehradun. In addition, the media through its reports, news analysis and even through editorials has flagged a worrying trend where offenders in serious road offences remain at large for weeks, while families are left to struggle for basic answers. Legal experts have also noted that delayed arrests in hit-and-run cases weaken prosecution and embolden reckless drivers.
The Rajpur Road incident has thus come to symbolise more than a single tragedy. It reflects a systemic failure that threatens public safety. People in Dehradun are openly questioning whether assurances by the police carry any real meaning, and whether human life on the city’s roads is being taken seriously at all. Unless swift arrests are made and accountability enforced, public confidence in the Doon Police is bound to erode further, with dangerous consequences for road discipline and justice alike.
It may also be reminded here that just yesterday, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami undertook a surprise inspection of Dalanwala Police Station in Dehradun and found many shortcomings. One police Inspector was lines attached as he was not present during the inspection and the police station had no clue where he was. The CM also expressed deep anguish over traffic mismanagement in Dehradun.
