Sir,

Yesterday, around 9.30 pm, I was driving in front of Hotel Southern Star. I noticed a huge traffic jam and my car slowed down near the Maharani’s College bus stop.

When my turn came, a Police Constable wearing a mask stopped our car and asked us to lower the window. Upon lowering the window, he put his head inside the car, close to my face and asked me to blow air from my mouth onto him.

I was surprised by this act and asked him what was happening. He replied arrogantly that it was a ‘drink and drive’ check.

This act by the Police Department is not pardonable. Are we expected to spread infection due to the lack of proper gadgets (breath analysers) and infrastructure in the department?

If there are not sufficient gadgets, then why implement rules in this manner?

This unscientific way of checking can lead to severe infection, especially among elderly persons and children. Moreover, I do not know the health condition of the Police Constable who is putting his head into my car or into any other car.

I request the City Police Commissioner to look into this matter and put an end to such unscientific methods of checking in our city, in the interest of protecting public health.

—Mohammed Aslam, Rtd. Safety Officer, Hitachi Energy, Mysuru, 28.12.2025

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