Truckers' protest against new law prompts panic buying of petrol in Indian states

NEW DELHI, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- People in several Indian states on Tuesday resorted to panic buying of petrol at fuel stations amid the ongoing protests by truck drivers against the new hit-and-run law.

Reports pouring in from Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday said long queues of two-wheelers and four-wheelers were seen at the petrol pumps waiting for their turn to fill the tanks.

Commercial vehicles, including trucks and tankers, Monday stopped work across several states to protest against a provision in the new penal law on hit-and-run road accident cases.

The nationwide protests to last three days have led to the blocking of highways and several other key roads across the South Asian country. The protests have also raised fears in the public that fuel may soon run out at fuel stations, prompting people to crowd petrol pumps and resort to panic buying.

According to the new penal law, drivers who cause a serious road accident by negligent driving and run away without informing the police could face up to 10 years in prison. Under the old penal code, accidentally killing a person in a road accident has a maximum jail term of two years.

The protesting drivers of commercial vehicles believe that the new law is biased against larger vehicles.

In several places in Mumbai protesters have thrown stones at the police, media reports said.