739 offenders booked for driving under influence of alcohol

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Clamping down on rash and drunk driving on the eve of the new year, as many as 739 offenders driving/riding under the influence of alcohol were booked on Saturday night during a special drive, police said.

"A total of 739 people, who were driving their vehicles after consuming alcohol, were booked during the special drive that began at 10 PM on December 31 and continued till 6 AM on January 1. Among them, 511 were riding motorcycles," a senior police official (traffic) told.

Cops at various police stations as well as traffic police were stationed on different streets throughout the night wielding breathalysers, police said.

A total of 179 cases were registered against car drivers, 18 against tempo, 14 against three wheelers, five each against taxi and truck drivers, four against trailers, two against private bus and one against an Ambulance driver, police said.

"A deposit of Rs 2000 was taken from each offender before they were allowed to go. They have been asked to be present before the magistrate courts tomorrow that will decide their punishment which may either be a jail term or fine or suspension of their licenses or combination of all three," the official added.

Last year, on the eve of the New Year, 867 cases were registered, 128 more than this year, police said.

Since June, 2007 when the city police began its drive against drunk driving, as many as 74,885 cases were registered of which 41,940 were sent for jail term.