In a decisive move to address the escalating danger of drunk driving, the Ahmedabad Police have announced the suspension of driving licenses for 481 individuals caught driving under the influence during a week-long operation.
This action comes in the wake of several alarming drunk-driving accidents reported in Ahmedabad over the past eight days, highlighting the urgent need for stricter enforcement.
The city has witnessed a series of serious accidents attributed to drunk driving during the ongoing crackdown from November 25 to December 2, 2024.
These incidents highlight an alarming rise in drunk driving cases in Ahmedabad. It is the third major case within eight days.
A speeding Creta car driven by an intoxicated man identified as Gopal Patel, jumped a divider, went airborne, and collided head-on with an Activa scooter on the Naroda-Dehgam Road. The horrific accident claimed the lives of two young men, Amit Rathod (26) and Vishal Rathod (27), who were killed instantly.
Last week, a driver named Ripal Panchal caused significant damage to multiple vehicles on the Bhopal-Ambli Road, though fortunately, no casualties were reported. He was released on bail the next day itself, while police recommended suspending his driving licence. Apart from that the FSL and medical reports are yet to be received by M division of police for further investigation of the matter.
In another recent incident on SG Highway, a speeding car struck two doctors cycling, leaving them critically injured. The accused, Pranav Vora, reportedly attended a liquor party with friends in Vastrapur before driving under the influence. Following the accident, he fled to Udaipur, attempting to evade the authorities. The police launched an extensive probe to track him down and he was later arrested.
To curb such violations, the Ahmedabad Police, in collaboration with the Traffic Department, has invoked Section 185 of the Motor Vehicle Act, which allows for stringent penalties, including suspension of driving licenses.
Neeraj Badgujar, Sector-1 JCP, stated, “We have already detained the vehicles during the operation, now we are going to initiate the paperwork for the suspension of their Driving License with the help of the Ahmedabad Traffic police department.”
“Drunk driving is not just a violation of law but a direct threat to public safety. The rising number of accidents in recent days has prompted us to take decisive action. Along with fines, we are initiating license suspensions to ensure offenders are held accountable,” said a senior officer.
The announcement comes as part of an intensive operation targeting traffic violations and criminal activities. Over the past eight days, the Ahmedabad Police inspected 1,07,294 vehicles, registered 9,862 cases under the Motor Vehicle Act, and collected fines totalling ₹73.95 lakh. Among these –
- 481 cases of drunk driving were identified.
- 4,689 vehicles were detained for serious infractions.
- 518 miscellaneous violations were recorded.
Apart from drunk driving, officers also enforced measures against unsafe vehicle modifications. Prohibited black window films were removed from 603 vehicles and faulty number plates were rectified.