Over 770 motorists caught for drunk driving across Hyderabad region

More than 770 motorists were caught for drunk driving during special enforcement drives conducted across Hyderabad, Cyberabad, Malkajgiri and Future City police commissionerates over the past week, with two-wheelers accounting for a majority of the violations.

Data released by the four traffic police units showed that 778 motorists were booked or apprehended during the drives. Hyderabad commissionerate recorded the highest number at 380, followed by Malkajgiri with 144, Future City with 135 and Cyberabad with 119.

In Hyderabad, the Traffic Police conducted a two-day drive on October 2 and 3, catching 343 two-wheeler riders, 12 three-wheeler drivers and 25 motorists driving four-wheelers and other vehicles.

Of the 380 motorists, 80 recorded blood alcohol concentration (BAC) readings between 30 and 50, while 167 were in the 51-100 range. Another 77 of them recorded between 101 and 150, 39 between 151 and 200, 12 between 201 and 250, and two between 251 and 300. Three motorists recorded readings above 300.

The Malkajgiri Traffic Police, meanwhile, caught 144 motorists between September 27 and October 3, comprising 120 two-wheeler riders, six three-wheeler drivers, 17 four-wheeler drivers and one heavy-vehicle driver. All 144 offenders were men.

Nine of them recorded BAC levels between 201 mg/100 ml and 300 mg/100 ml, while the remaining 135 recorded between 36 mg/100 ml and 200 mg/100 ml.

In Cyberabad, 119 motorists were caught during the weekend drive, including 101 two-wheeler riders, four three-wheeler drivers and 14 four-wheeler drivers. Nine recorded BAC levels between 301 mg/100 ml and 550 mg/100 ml, the highest bracket reported among the four commissionerates.

Future City Traffic Police caught another 135 offenders between September 26 and October 2. Unlike the other commissionerates, four-wheelers formed a sizeable share of the cases there, with 53 drivers caught, apart from 69 two-wheeler riders, eight three-wheeler drivers and five motorists using other vehicles. Three offenders recorded BAC levels above 300 mg/100 ml.

The enforcement figures also showed that courts disposed of 241 drunk-driving cases reported by Malkajgiri, Cyberabad and Future City during their respective reporting periods. Eight offenders were sentenced to jail along with fines, 10 were ordered to pay fines and perform social service, while 223 were fined.

Traffic police warned that motorists driving under the influence of alcohol and causing fatal crashes could face prosecution under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, which carries imprisonment of up to 10 years along with a fine.