Zomato executive delivers food on horseback amid fuel crisis in Hyderabad

Residents of Hyderabad witnessed a sight this morning: a Zomato delivery rider galloping through the streets on a majestic black horse to deliver the food on time, on January 3, 2023. Why? The delivery executive delivered food on horseback because petrol and diesel supplies were hit across parts of the country due to the truckers' strike that entered the second day on Tuesday.

Drivers of trucks, buses, and tankers had launched a three-day strike to protest against new laws for hit-and-run accidents.

“When petrol bunks ran out of fuel in Hyderabad, Zomato delivery arrived on horseback ... at Chanchalguda, next to Imperial Hotel... after long, long queues & closure of petrol pumps as a fallout of Truckers Strike over NewLaw on hit-and-run accidents,” said a user sharing a video on social media platform X.

Approximately 2,000 petrol pumps, primarily located in western and northern India, faced fuel shortages as a result of a truckers' strike, PTI reported. Despite state-owned oil companies proactively replenishing fuel reserves at numerous petrol pumps nationwide in anticipation of the strike, certain stations in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Punjab experienced depleted stocks due to heightened demand, as reported by industry officials.

According to the new BNS provision, “Whoever causes the death of any person by rash and negligent driving of vehicle not amounting to culpable homicide, and escapes without reporting it to a police officer or a magistrate soon after the incident, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description of a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine."

The updated provisions now entail a potential 10-year jail term or a fine of ₹7 lakh if a truck driver leaves the scene of an accident without reporting it to the authorities.

This marked a significant increase compared to the previous Indian Penal Code (IPC), where the punishment for such offenses was limited to 2-year imprisonment.

As the protest continued, AIMTC Chairman-organising committee Bal Mankit Singh said, “Ye kanoon abhi tak laagu nahi hai (This law has not been implemented yet) ... Ham ye kanoon laagu nahi hone denge (We will not allow these laws to be implemented)."