In view of the increasing number of drunken driving road accidents, the Cyberabad Traffic police have resumed checking and booked 126 persons on July 3 night.
“Once again it is noticed that many people are resorting to driving under the influence of alcohol without caring for the safety of themselves as well as the safety of other innocent road users,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Vijay Kumar S.M. said.
It is worrying that most of the drunk drivers are highly educated professionals, he said.
The officer recalled the ghastly collision of an Audi car and an auto-rickshaw on June 27 in which the passenger travelling in the three-wheeler died on the spot near Inorbit Mall.
In a similar incident on the same day in Premavathipet of Rajendranagar, a drunk youth recklessly drove a Toyota Innova car at a high speed, hitting a platform in front of a private residence severely injuring a woman sitting on the platform, Mr. Kumar said.
In another incident, an intoxicated biker and pillion rider hit a milk van near Botanical garden late night on July 1, resulting in the death of the rider and severe injuries to the pillion rider. Both of them were not wearing helmets.
“Many such accidents are being reported in recent times in Cyberabad. To curb the menace of drunken driving in the city, we booked 20,326 tippler drivers so far this year,” the DCP said.
“Due to the pandemic, courts dealing with drunken driving cases have not been functioning. All these persons will be prosecuted once the courts resume dealing with such cases.”
The original driving license (DL) of all such offenders have been seized by the traffic police and sent to the concerned RTA for disqualification as per S. 206 read with 19 of the MV Act.
“Persons whose DLs have been seized cannot drive any vehicle until they get back their DL after the disqualification period is over and after they complete the mandatory ‘Driver Refresher Training Course’ to be conducted by the Transport Department as per the provisions of the MV Act,” Mr. Kumar said.
Any person found driving any vehicle during the period of disqualification will be booked under S. 182 MV Act, attracting a penalty of ₹10,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 3 months, the Cyberabad traffic chief said.
Those who cause fatal accidents in a drunken condition are being booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder as per S. 304 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), with imprisonment of up to 10 years. Those who knowingly allow or accompany drunken drivers are prosecuted for the offense of abetting a crime as per S. 109 of the IPC and S. 188 of the MV Act.
“Stringent action as per relevant provisions of the law is being taken against all the persons indulging or abetting or aiding drunken driving,” Mr. Kumar said.
Institutions and organisations such offenders work at are also being intimated about the incident and urged to conduct road safety education to their employees, Mr. Kumar said.
“Citizens must exhibit civic sense of staying safe and ensuring safety of fellow citizens. Self-discipline is a key factor in this aspect,” the officer added.
Published - July 05, 2021 01:35 pm IST
