HYDERABAD: With the New Year on the anvil, traffic police in the city of Hyderabad have issued warnings against driving under the influence of alcohol. If anyone is caught drunk during checking the police said they would provide first information to the offices where they were working. The employers, educational institutions, government departments would also be informed about the involvement of their employees or students in such dangerous activities.

If caught for the first time, a fine of Rs 10,000, imprisonment for 6 months and revocation of the license for 3 months will be imposed, police said.

If caught a second time, he/she faces a fine of Rs 15,000, two years in jail and a permanent license revocation..

The vehicular traffic has increased after Unlock 5.0, where most of the shops and establishments have reopened after the Covid-19 pandemic. As per reports, the traffic police are conducting screening with COVID-19 safety regulations during night and evening hours at different junctions and accident-prone areas in Madhapur, Balanagar, and Shamshabad regions.

DCP Cyberabad SM Vijay Kumar said that cases are lodged against persons who are nabbed during the checking and cars are seized.

In case of accidents, all those in the vehicle are also booked in the case.

The driving licenses of those people who were nabbed during the checking were seized and sent to the regional transport officers for suspension for three months for the first time offenders and on a permanent basis for those who were caught repeatedly.

Any person committing any road traffic accident by driving a car under the influence of alcohol leading to the death of any person, would be charged for culpable homicide not amounting to murder as under Section 304 (II) of IPC which will lead to a simple or rigorous jail term of up to 10 years.

Md Tajuddin Ahmed, DCP Rachakonda said, that checking will be conducted at all important thoroughfares and accident-prone areas on New Year's eve and the next day. If anyone is caught, a case will be booked and the vehicle detained.

According to the police, 2,351 cases were registered in the Cyberabad commissionerate in December alone and 3,287 cases were registered in the Rachakonda commissionerate this year.