KOCHI: Are tipsy drivers and other crew members of private buses putting our lives in grave danger? Undoubtedly yes, if the data available with the City Police is anything to go by.
On Monday, 24 private bus employees, including drivers, were booked by the police after they were found drunk, during a surprise check carried out by the Shadow Police Wing.
The private bus drivers in the city had been under police scanner following a rise in number of complaints against them.The police had been receiving many complaints stating private bus drivers, in an inebriated state, were troubling commuters and motorists.
A team under Crime Detachment Assistant Commissioner M Remesh Kumar has been monitoring the situation on the directive of City Police Commissioner M P Dinesh.
According to the police, the bus drivers usually cancel the last trip of service every Sunday for consuming liquor.
In this backdrop, three squads led by Shadow Police Sub-Inspector Honey K Das conducted the raids from 6 am on Monday. While seven bus drivers were booked for drink driving, 17 crew members of private buses were found to be under the influence of alcohol while on duty. The arrested were handed over to the Ernakulam South, Kalamassery, Ernakulam Central and Traffic (West) police stations. The vehicles have also been seized.
“With the schools all set to reopen, the checks will continue in private buses and school buses in the coming days too,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police G H Yatish Chandra.
As many as 38 school bus drivers were booked for driving under the influence of alcohol in checks carried out by the police simultaneously in five districts under the jurisdiction of the Kochi Police Range in February.
Ernakulam Rural topped the list as 14 cases were slapped against school bus drivers for drink driving. In Kochi City, cases were registered against five school bus drivers. The police had launched a crackdown on errant school bus drivers after students passed on vital information to the police in this regard.