12 cases booked in V.V. Puram, Narasimharaja and Siddarthanagar Traffic Police Stations

Mysore/Mysuru: The City Police have resumed drunken driving checks on all major roads and especially on roads where there is a concentration of bars and restaurants. The drive to book motorists driving under the influence of alcohol has been restarted after a gap of two years.

The checks were suspended in February 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic for the fear of infection being spread to Police personnel on duty and also to the public through alcometer (breathalysers) as there is a person-to-person contact, giving room for the virus to spread. Such tests were also suspended in Bengaluru. 

Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, City Police Commissioner Dr. Chandragupta said that drunk-driving checks using breath analysers had been resumed from Feb. 27. “We have seen an increase in drunken-driving cases and also the number of accidents, including self-accidents,” he added.

Police sources said that before taking a decision of resuming the tests, the Commissioner had a meeting with the DCPs and traffic ACP along with Inspectors where the officers reported that the number of accidents have increased, especially on Hunsur Road, Ring Road, Mysuru-Bengaluru Road, T. Narasipur Road and H.D. Kote Road. All these roads have a concentration of bars and restaurants. Weekends have seen more number of cases

“People have taken things for granted and many are driving vehicles under the influence of alcohol. We do not want to be lenient,” Dr. Chandragupta said. Barricades have been laid on roads and Police teams – including traffic and civil — are on roads from 8 pm till around 11.30 pm.

Already, four cases each have been booked at V.V. Puram, Narasimharaja and Siddarthanagar Traffic Police Stations. Police said that if a person is caught driving under the influence of alcohol, their vehicle will be seized and the driver will be subjected to medical tests.

“We will videograph the testing so that later there are no conflicts where Police are usually blamed  and those who are caught are produced before Court where a fine is levied,” a Police officer said.