Hyderabad police are tightening their crackdown on drunk driving after a noticeable rise in alcohol-related accidents across the city.
Over the weekend, the Cyberabad traffic police caught 252 people driving under the influence during late-night checks at several key locations. Most of the vehicles stopped were two-wheelers (199), followed by four-wheelers (43) and three-wheelers (10).
Among those caught, 24 drivers had dangerously high blood alcohol levels, ranging from 200 mg/100 ml to 550 mg/100 ml. The age group with the highest number of offenders was 21 to 30 years, with 92 cases. There were also 87 offenders aged 31-40, and 54 individuals between 41-50. Worryingly, three offenders were just 18 to 20 years old.
Everyone caught during the operation will be brought before the court for legal action.
Meanwhile, in a separate week-long campaign from May 17 to 23, Hyderabad police booked 917 drunk driving cases. These included 779 two-wheelers, 53 three-wheelers, 83 cars, and two heavy vehicles. In that drive, 38 drivers had a blood alcohol concentration over 200 mg/100 ml.
The age data from Hyderabad mirrored Cyberabad’s trend. Thirteen drivers were aged 18-20, while the largest group—374 offenders—were aged 21-30. Another 334 were between 31-40, and 151 were aged 41-50.
As part of the crackdown, 75 offenders were sentenced to jail time for drunk driving.
Police have issued a stern warning to all drivers. If anyone is found drunk driving and causes a fatal accident, they will face charges under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. This law treats the offense as culpable homicide not amounting to murder, which can lead to up to 10 years in prison and a hefty fine.
Authorities urge citizens to avoid drinking and driving to keep the roads safer for everyone.
