The truckers’ strike that began at midnight on Monday has already begun to disrupt the flow of goods across Karnataka, with over six lakh trucks staying off the roads in the state alone. Though only in its first day, the effects are being felt widely from farm markets to factories, and from retail shops to construction sites. The strike was called by several transport unions protesting the implementation of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), the new criminal law that replaces the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The truckers’ primary concern lies with stricter punishments for hit-and-run cases, including jail terms of up to 10 years. Drivers argue that the law unfairly targets them, adding to the pressures they already face on the road. “We already work in high-risk, low-pay conditions. Now they want to put us behind bars for accidents? This is too much,” said one truck operator based in Bengaluru. Essential Services Exempt, But Key Sectors Affected While essential services like milk supply have been exempted from the strike, the absence of trucks carrying vegetables, LPG cylinders, industrial raw materials, and construction supplies has slowed daily life. In major urban centers like Bengaluru, Hubballi and Mangaluru, wholesale markets began seeing reduced inflow of goods by Tuesday morning. Perishable goods are especially vulnerable. Farmers who had harvested produce for market