Abetment charge part of Rachakonda cops’ new strategy to tackle drunk driving

Allowing a drunk person to drive a vehicle will now attract a case on the person who was well aware that the person driving was drunk.
Abetment charge part of Rachakonda cops’ new strategy to tackle drunk driving

HYDERABAD: Allowing a drunk person to drive a vehicle will now attract a case on the person who was well aware that the person driving was drunk.

In the wake of grave road accidents occurring due to drunk driving, Rachakonda police have decided to book cases on co-passengers for allowing a drunk person to drive a vehicle.

The police said that if an underage or unauthorised person drives a vehicle and ends up in an accident, then the vehicle owner will face the charges of abetment, under section 109 of IPC.

In a recent case at Hayathnagar, a 17-year-old diploma student from Thimmapur village lost his life when a car driven by a drunk person rammed into the bus stop where the victim and his friends were waiting.

On March 1, when the students of Brilliant Engineering College were waiting at a bus stop in Inamguda, the car had rammed into bus stop, due to which a student P Vinay Goud fell around 30 feet away from the spot and died of critical injuries. After that, in the hurry of fleeing from the spot, the driver crashed into a road divider and then they travelled for about 200 yards, but the car tyre burst and the accused fled from the place leaving the car behind.

Two days after the accident, the police arrested the car driver and his three associates including two students. The police had said that all the four persons in the car were under the influence of alcohol and did not stop their friend from taking the wheel.

Speaking to the Express, Rachakonda police commissioner MM Bhagwat said we have been asking the public to engage a designated driver if they are consuming alcohol before travel. It prevents accidents and victimising others. This acts as a preventive measure, said commissioner Bhagwat.

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