Fatal Porsche crash

THE tragic Porsche accident in Pune, where a 17-year-old driving at 200 kmph collided with a motorcycle, killing two young engineers, has led to an unusually swift — and welcome — legal action. The minor’s father, accused of wilful neglect, and the bar owner and staffers who served him alcohol have been arrested. This signals zero tolerance to reckless behaviour.

The Pune Police’s decision to involve the Crime Branch highlights the seriousness of the matter. The case against the father as well as the bar owner and staffers underscores a broader responsibility to prevent such tragedies. Charging the father under the Juvenile Justice Act emphasises the need for parental accountability in curbing dangerous activities. However, the Juvenile Justice Board’s decision to grant bail to the minor, imposing such lenient conditions as writing an essay on road safety and undergoing counselling, is just a slap on the wrist rather than a proportionate response to a crime that caused two fatalities. Incidentally, it also raises the question of the logic of having the right to vote or get married (for girls) at 18 years and of public drinking at 25 in certain states.

The recent accident in Patiala, where four students died in a high-speed car crash, is a pointer to the troubling trend of dangerous driving among youths. Such incidents stress the need for stricter enforcement of traffic laws and a review of legal frameworks for juvenile offenders. The Pune Police’s appeal to try the minor as an adult is a crucial step in this direction. The judicial system must respond appropriately and set a precedent of severe consequences for such rash acts, regardless of the offender’s age. It will restore public confidence and deter reckless driving on our roads. The victims and their families deserve nothing less.