Mysore/Mysuru: Very soon, the City Police will reintroduce special drives against drunken driving to book motorists driving under the influence of alcohol. 

The checks are at present suspended due to the pandemic for the fear of infection being spread to Police personnel on duty and also to the public through alcometer. 

The Bengaluru Traffic Police have resumed the use of breath analysers to catch motorists driving under the influence of alcohol, nearly 18 months after the practice was stopped. 

The special drives have been reinitiated after Bengaluru saw an increase in drunk driving cases and the opinion of experts had been sought before resuming these tests.

Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, City Police Commissioner Dr. Chandragupta said that the Mysuru Police too were mulling on the issue and modalities are being worked out. “Mysuru borders with Kerala and we have a separate set of precautions and rules to be taken into consideration here. But definitely there is a thinking in the direction of reintroducing the checks as public safety on roads is paramount. We are deliberating on the  issue,” he said.

In Bengaluru, each person stopped by the Police on road is provided with a disposable straw for the alcometer and once the person has used the alcometer, the alcometer will be sanitised and put away in a plastic bag for the next three days before it is used again.

If a person refuses to use the alcometer even with the disposable straw, the Police will take him to the nearest Government Hospital for a blood test to detect whether the person was under the influence of alcohol.