On Monday morning, Karnataka witnessed a historic moment as the state’s first FIR under the newly enacted Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was filed at the Hassan Rural police station. The FIR was prompted by a tragic accident involving Y Indu, a 60-year-old homemaker from Halebid, who met with a fatal incident on the Hassan-Halebid road. The accident occurred when her car, driven by Sagar, fell off the Seege Gate bridge while returning from Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru.
Under the BNS, the FIR cited Sections 281 and 106, attributing charges of rash driving on a public way and causing death by negligence to the accused driver, Sagar. Section 281 stipulates penalties of up to six months’ imprisonment or a fine of Rs 1,000, or both, for rash driving. Meanwhile, Section 106 prescribes imprisonment for up to two years along with a fine for causing death by negligence.
The implementation of the BNS marks a significant shift from the previous IPC, aiming to streamline legal procedures and enhance accountability in criminal cases across Karnataka. This reform also introduces provisions like ‘zero FIR’ and e-FIR, allowing individuals to report incidents from anywhere in the country promptly.
