Nagpur has recorded 327 deaths from hit-and-run cases in 2024, making it the third most affected city in India, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). The city's surveillance network is severely compromised, with over 1,300 CCTV cameras lying non-operational, hampering enforcement and investigations. In just the first four months of 2026, 24 persons have been killed in hit-and-run incidents, with police lacking clues about the drivers and vehicles involved.
High-Profile Cases Spark Outrage
Two recent hit-and-run accidents have drawn significant public attention. In February 2024, the Ritika Maloo Ram Jhula case caused citywide outrage when a car driven recklessly killed two people. More recently, in April 2026, the death of 72-year-old yoga teacher Mangala Kewte in Dharampeth left residents stunned. Kewte was struck by a speeding SUV while on her morning walk; the driver initially fled but was later arrested.
NCRB Data Reveals Alarming Trends
According to the latest NCRB 2024 data, Nagpur saw an 18% rise in hit-and-run deaths, increasing from 277 in 2023 to 327 in 2024. The city trails only Delhi (642 cases) and Patna (332 cases), surpassing major metros like Mumbai (190), Pune (121), Bengaluru (204), and Hyderabad (227). These figures fall under the category of "causing death by negligence relating to road accidents — hit and run," where drivers flee the scene after fatal crashes without aiding victims or informing authorities.
Traffic Department data for 2025 shows 312 hit-and-run accidents, resulting in 96 deaths and 274 injuries. In the ongoing year 2026, 86 such cases have already been reported, claiming 24 lives and injuring 79 persons.
Surveillance System Failure
Road safety activists and citizens argue that the city's poor surveillance system is exacerbating the problem. More than 1,300 CCTV cameras are currently non-functional — nearly 600 are offline, over 150 have been dismantled or are faulty, and the rest are out of service due to technical and maintenance issues. In multiple hit-and-run investigations, police have faced serious delays in tracing offenders due to the absence of usable footage, allowing many drivers to evade immediate arrest.
With rash driving, overspeeding, and weak traffic discipline emerging as major concerns, residents are demanding urgent corrective measures and fully functional CCTVs to improve road safety and accountability.
