The Pune traffic police have observed a spate in the number of people Driving Under Influence (DUI) of alcohol,with youngsters outnumbering others. As the number of cases registered are on the rise,the police are in the process of procuring 100 breath analysers in addition to the 46 they have at present. Till the end of October,the traffic control branch had registered over 3,500 drink driving cases. The figure was 4,200 in 2012 and 2,500 in 2011. Deputy Commissioner of Police (traffic control branch) Vishwas Pandhare said,There is certainly a rise in the number of people Driving Under Influence. We have also observed that the number of youths indulging in drink driving is increasing rapidly. Another officer with the traffic control branch said,Most youths caught for DUI are outstation students,who stay alone or with friends. A significant number of cases are from suburban areas like Hinjewadi and Kharadi. There have also been cases in which people caught have entered into arguments with the traffic police staffers. As per Section 185 of the Motor Vehicle Act,if a driver or rider is caught with alcohol content exceeding 30 mg per 100 ml of blood,which is tested by the breath analyser,he or she can be imprisonment for up to six months. If caught for drink driving again within three years,the punishment can be up to two years. At present,if a person is tested positive,he or she is taken to the local police station and told to pay a deposit amount. The person is produced before the court the next day,where he or she can plead guilty and is charged a fine. If the person pleads innocent,the case is taken to the trial.
