The Kerala High Court on Monday (July 20, 2026) directed the State Police Chief to constitute special squads in every district to track and apprehend offenders in hit-and-run cases. The police force in the State has been directed to work together and alert the special squads in tracing such vehicles and drivers. 

The court expressed concern over the increasing number of hit-and-run cases remaining unresolved due to lack of attention by law enforcement agencies.

A Single Bench of Justice G. Girish was considering a batch of petitions by victims in hit-and-run cases from Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram. In all the cases, the petitioners sought directions for high-ranking police officials to investigate the offending vehicle and drivers who had caused severe casualties to their lives. 

The court also considered the “ineffectiveness” of the Compensation to Victims of Hit and Run Motor Accidents Scheme, 2021 introduced by the Central government. The Supreme Court had earlier found the amounts fixed as compensation for death and grievous injury to be inadequate and directed the Centre to consider if those amounts could be raised gradually. 

Additionally, it issued directions to generate wide public awareness about the functioning of the special squads and asked the Centre to modify the scheme and bring in necessary legislation for the benefit of victims in hit-and-run cases. 

The court held that the success in tracing the offenders in hit-and-run cases depends on the timely and coordinated action by police officers. It noted that the latest technologies in telecommunication and forensic science should be employed to achieve a breakthrough in the investigation. There was “a distinct possibility” that some of these cases may turn out to be deliberate attempts to endanger life as well, the court observed. 

In this regard, the court stated that the government should look into the systems followed in other countries to provide sufficient compensation to victims of hit-and-run cases without incurring a huge financial burden. The Centre could amass the compensation funds from fines levied under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Motor Vehicles Act. It could also levy a cess from registration fee, permit fee, licence fee, insurance premium, etc., that can be prescribed and regulated by a statutory body, it added.

Published - July 21, 2026 10:34 am IST