JOIN USCity police tighten law against drunk driving
The City police have further tightened traffic rules in an attempt to curb errant drivers, especially drunk drivers.
Those who are responsible for causing accidents resulting in deaths will now be booked under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code (culpable homicide not amounting to murder). The section is a non bailable offence.
Earlier, such accidents would be booked under Section 304-A. According to Police Commissioner M A Saleem earlier, traffic police were tasked with the responsibility of filing the First Information Report (FIR) and also its investigation.
“However, depending on the nature of the case, the accused were being let off either through station bail or court bail. In the changed set up, it is a non-bailable offence (under 304) and the accused will have to undergo 10 years of imprisonment, if proven guilty,” Saleem said.
Coordination
Only police personnel belonging to law and order are authorised to file cases under culpable homicide and therefore they will continue to file cases under these circumstances as well. However, the right to arrest the erring riders rests with the traffic police, who after taking the accused into custody will hand over them to law and order wing. The investigation of the case will however be conducted by the traffic wing.
Keeping with the change, a FIR was registered at V V Puram police station on April 28 after a youth under the influence of liquor mowed down a security guard near railway underbridge at Yadavagiri. N R Traffic police will continue with the investigation of the same.
The sole intention behind tightening the law is to deter the people from riding/ driving vehicles under the influence of liquor and causing fatal and non-fatal mishaps. This move comes in addition to the recently introduced initiative to recommend the suspension of licence of first time offenders caught driving under the influence of alcohol.