Mysore/Mysuru: The long arms of law finally caught up with a tempo traveller driver who, due to negligent and rash driving, caused the death of one person. Sixteen years after the incident, the driver was sentenced to one year imprisonment. 

The Second Chief Judicial and Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Court also imposed a fine of Rs. 7,500. The convicted driver has been identified as G. Pramod. On Dec. 26, 2004, Pramod was driving a tempo traveller towards Mysuru and as the vehicle neared Mandakalli on Nanjangud Road, the speeding vehicle collided against a parked truck.

Due to the impact of the accident, Girish, who was sitting on the front seat in the tempo traveller, was seriously injured. He died on the way to a hospital. Co-passengers Vishnu, Shankaranarayana, Velayudhan, Babu, Sridhar, Sarojini, Krishna Kumar, Savithri, Vasu and Hamsa were critically injured in the accident. 

After the accident, the Mysore South Police registered a case against driver Pramod under IPC Sections for negligent and careless driving, causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others and rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide. A charge-sheet was submitted to Second Chief Judicial and JMFC Court. 

Hearing the case, Judge P.R. Savitha declared Pramod as guilty and sentenced him to one year simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 7,500. He was found guilty on all counts. Assistant Public Prosecutor G.J. Sandhya argued for the State.