The Bengaluru city traffic police booked 667 cases of drunk driving on the intervening night of December 31, 2018 and January 1, 2019.
The special drive began at 12 am midnight and went on till 4 am in the morning. Traffic police identified inebriated riders and drivers who had consumed alcohol way beyond the permissible limits and were behind the wheels in a drunken stupor.
Thereafter, the drunk revellers were taken to marriage and convention halls that were booked by the traffic police the previous night. All were detained for about two to three hours. They were offered drinking water to sober themselves down.
The drunk drivers and riders were also allowed to contact their family and inform about their safe custody with the police until they sobered down. Later, when the policemen were convinced that they had in fact sobered down, they were allowed to go home. The police wished them a happy New Year and success in their endeavours for the coming year.
The detentions at the city halls were to ensure the safety of the drivers, who not only pose a danger to themselves but for other fellow commuters as well, said P Harishekaran, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic).
Marriage halls were booked at Jayanagar, near Kempegowda International airport, Hosur Road, Outer Ring Road, Mysore Road, etc. The detentions are besides the seizure of vehicles and fines slapped for drunk driving, Harishekaran added.