Fuel running out as truckers strike — reports

Numerous gas stations are running out of fuel amid a truckers' strike, Indian media reported on Tuesday, 2 January.

The shortages come as truck drivers protest a new law that increases the penalty for hit-and-run accidents.

What do we know about the shortages?

Around 2,000 petrol pumps had run out of fuel stocks, The Economic Times daily reported.

The affected gas stations were concentrated in the northwestern states of Rajasthan and Punjab, the western state of Maharashtra and the central state of Madhya Pradesh.

Also, many people were crowding other gas stations in an attempt to stock up on fuel ahead of time.

Punjab's state government urged citizens not to store up on fuel, assuring them that stations had sufficient stocks, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.

In southern India, no major supply disruptions were reported.

Truckers strike over hit-and-run law

The fuel shortage comes as a strike by truck drivers enters into its second day.

The government began talks with the truckers' associations involved on the protest on Tuesday, 2 January according to PTI

Truckers are protesting a new law that raises the penalty for fleeing the scene after causing a road accident to 10 years imprisonment or a 700,000 rupee fine, according to the Times of India. The previous law included a possible sentence of two years in jail.

The opposition Congress party gave support to the protests, saying that people could misuse the legislation to commit extortion and "organized corruption." Party leader Mallikarjun Kharge was cited by PTI as arguing that the government, run by the Hindu nationalist BJP, was "penalizing the poor" in passing the law and was stalling on infrastructure development.