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Drunk driving case detection increases after Porsche case, citizens seek more action

According to police, on September 20, based on a complaint by B Shaikh that his phone was stolen during Ganesh vijsarjan procession, an FIR was registered at the VP Road police station.

In the Pune porsche car crash case ,The alleged attempt failed as doctors at the Aundh hospital refused to tamper with the sample. ( File Photo )

The detection of drunk driving incidents in Pune city saw a rise after the infamous Porsche accident last year, according to data obtained from the Pune traffic police.

From an average of 98.5 cases recorded per month in the first four months of 2024, the number jumped to 611.5 cases on average —- recorded from May onwards, the month the accident that claimed two lives took place. This trend of higher cases has continued into 2025. However, citizens say these steps by the police are not enough and demand more surveillance and enforcement of rules.

Pune Additional Commissioner of Police Manoj Patil explained the reason for the increase. “We regularly have nakabandis on the weekends. If there is any festival like Holi, we increase nakabandi. We also do surprise inspections, reason why the figures have increased. If you compare it with the figures from 2020-23, 2024 is almost twice. What we are seeing is that a lot of violations are happening.”

Patil said that around 20-25 nakabandis are in place every week. He also said the dip in numbers in September is due to the annual Ganeshotsav, during which traffic police are involved in other duties.

Steps not enough: Residents

Munir Vastani, a resident of Kalyani Nagar, told The Indian Express, “When I go to Koregaon Park and Kalyani Nagar at night, I see bars serving liquor after the permitted operational hours. If the government is giving so many licences, they should implement some rules to control drunk driving.”

Vastani said the onus to control drunk driving needs to be put on the bars. “It is normal for people to drink in bars and step out and drive a vehicle. The police are not very particular doing these checks. Just a couple of weeks ago, I was going around Kalyani Nagar at 1-3am and there was no police nakabandi or patrolling. Patrolling alone will not solve the issue. If a drunk driver is seen coming out of a pub, that pub should face some serious consequences like cancellation of licences.”

Haresh Barwani, another resident of Koregaon Park and a member of Team Swachh Kalyani Nagar, said, “If you look around the Bishop’s School in Kalyani Nagar every weekend, at least 50 cars are parked there. Assuming that only 50 per cent of these people are drinking, that is still a lot of drunk drivers. Are these many cases being registered?”

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He also alleged that some bars were converting residential areas into commercial areas without obtaining no-objection certificates from societies. “The police should regularly check the bars and pubs, whether any violation is happening or not. Bars also encroach upon open areas like parking bays and convert it into a bar. Various departments like PMC, excise, and traffic need to act on this. ”

Soham Shah

Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Issues "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read More

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