Mega drive in Valsad amid Navratri: 251 drunk driving cases filed, over 100 booked for liquor possession in 2 days
Amid the ongoing festive season, District Superintendent of Police Dr Karanraj Vaghela has instructed his team to closely monitor illegal liquor transportation, and liquor sellers .
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On the first day of Navratri, which was Thursday, Valsad police registered 111 cases of drunk driving. (File)More than 250 cases against drunk driving, 111 against liquor consumption, and 38 over liquor possession: this is the total count of cases that have been registered in Valsad in the last two days since the start of Navratri, said officials. The cases have been booked under a special nine-day drive during the Navratri, police added.
Amid the ongoing festive season, District Superintendent of Police Dr Karanraj Vaghela has instructed his team to closely monitor illegal liquor transportation, liquor sellers, and conduct checks for drunk driving — both on the roads and inside and outside Garba event venues, said officials.
Gujarat has been practicing liquor prohibition since its formation in 1960.
On the first day of Navratri, which was Thursday, Valsad Police registered 111 cases of drunk driving, booked 40 people for liquor consumption, and 10 people over liquor possession. On Friday night, police registered 140 cases of drunk driving, 71 cases of liquor consumption, and 28 cases of liquor possession. Medical examinations for all those involved were conducted at the Valsad District Civil Hospital.
Providing more details, Valsad District Superintendent of Police Dr Karanraj Vaghela said, “Our intention is not to harass the public but to prevent any untoward incidents. In drunk driving cases, we have prevented accidents and potentially saved lives. Similarly, in the liquor consumption cases, we have apprehended troublemakers.”
“Additionally, our ‘She Teams’ are ready and actively visiting Garba events at various locations,” he stressed. He added, “We have also stationed female staff at nearby police stations. If any woman finds herself alone late at night and needs to go home, she just needs to dial 100. Our female officers will pick her up and drop her safely at her residence. Even after 12 or 12.30 am, hotels and eateries in town and across the district remain open, so Garba enthusiasts can find food late into the night.”
The drive comes as four professional Garba events are being organised in Valsad town while many others are smaller and limited to local streets and villages. Of these, the Gookul Navratri Group has organised a Garba event at Tadkeshwar near Abrama village on the outskirts of Valsad town. At the entry gate of this event, security staff apprehended six individuals with 10 fake entry passes. The security team informed the event organisers, and police later intervened to detain the six youths.
Gookul Navratri Group’s Praveen Patel said, “We informed the police, and they are taking the necessary actions. These passes were fake, like Xerox copies. Our seasonal passes cost Rs 1,100. Police suggested we file an official complaint but we requested them to not take action until after the Navratri festival. We are getting a large number of attendees everyday, and we are also ensuring the safety of participants. Health teams have been deployed, and multiple emergency exits have been arranged so that, in case of an emergency, people can easily evacuate the venue.”
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