Coronavirus: Drunk drive checks go on in Bengaluru

Bengaluru police commissioner Bhaskar Rao said special drives to check drunk driving would not be stopped over coronavirus fears.

Speaking to reporters recently, he said there was no connection between checking drunk drivers and the coronavirus.

"We have been getting requests from people to suspend the drunk driving checks. There is no question of suspending the checks because drunk driving is a bigger danger. We are going to conduct the checks in a scientific way and it is going to continue,” he stressed.

On providing masks and hand sanitisers to police personnel, Rao said he had instructed them to purchase masks and hand sanitisers under station expenses.

The traffic police had stopped drunk driving checks for a while after some officers were found letting motorists off the hook by under-penalising them without confiscating their driving licences.

A drastic rise in accidents caused by drunk driving prompted the traffic police to conduct a special drive, and on February 22 and 23, the traffic police booked 993 people for drunk driving.

Rao asked for suspending all kinds of protests until the coronavirus cases are under control as there are high chances of infections spreading as people come in close contact during such events.