With the mercury soaring by the day, leading to a surge in alcohol sales, a higher number of tipplers have been booked for drunk driving in the city.
In the past five days, the Hyderabad police alone filed 519 charge-sheets against persons caught drunk while driving, and the third and fourth Metropolitan Magistrate Court here sentenced 95 of them to jail for a period ranging between two and 10 days. The court also permanently cancelled the driving licences of eight offenders.
Those imprisoned were caught during a special drive taken up from April 16 to 20 at various places in Hyderabad commissionerate limits.
The local courts have also suspended 33 driving licenses for a period ranging from three months to three years. A total fine of ₹ 11.17 lakh was imposed on the offenders. The accused were send to Chanchalguda central prison.
The city traffic police also caught 27 persons driving without licence and violating other rules, including cell phone driving. They were sent to jail too.
Officials said people caught and convicted for drunk driving were likely to face difficulties in securing government jobs, passport and visa clearance. The violators committing the offence will be sent for counselling at the Traffic Training Institutions at Goshamahal and Begumpet.
Meanwhile, the sale of beer is on the rise in the city. D. Venkateshwara Rao, president, Telangana Wine Dealers Association, said beer consumption usually increases in the summer, especially during the weekend, and compared to last year, the sales have surged by over 20% in nearly 240 wine shops in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits.
