Prosecution for offences like drink driving and dangerous driving increased manifold in the city on the first weekend after the withdrawal of the night curfew, imposed to try and keep the pandemic in check, on March 31.
As many as 100 people were prosecuted for drink driving on Saturday night. “The majority of the offenders were caught on Park Street,” said a police officer.
Prosecution for traffic violations continued through Sunday, too.
Police said 334 motorists were prosecuted for drink driving, riding motorcycles without wearing a helmet, riding two-wheelers with more than one pillion rider and dangerous driving between 10pm on Saturday and 5am on Sunday.
Only 280 were prosecuted between 10pm on Friday and 5am on Saturday.
The police said the city had been witnessing far fewer cases of drink driving in the last few months, compared to what was reported on Saturday night.
“On an average, we used to have 20-35 cases of drink driving a day in the past few months. Last night, it touched 100,” an officer of the traffic department of Kolkata police said.
Officers could not recall the last time when so many motorists were prosecuted for drink driving and dangerous driving in one night.
According to police records, 20 motorists were prosecuted for drink driving and 21 for dangerous driving at the intersection of Park Street and Loudon Street on Saturday. Cases of drink driving were reported from the Sovabazar and Ruby intersections, and Jadavpur and Chingrighata, too.
Fifty-six motorcyclists were prosecuted for not wearing helmets and 34 for riding with more than one pillion rider.
The Telegraph reported on Sunday how Kolkatans reclaimed their first night after the withdrawal of the night curb on March 31.
Pubs, bars, night clubs and dhabas were teeming with people and roads that once looked deserted after midnight were back to life with vehicles and pedestrians.
A police officer at one of the checkposts on Park Street said they were asking all motorists to undergo a breathalyser test.
“Most of them did but some dropped names and said — ‘Jaanen aami ke? (do you know who I am?)’,” said the officer.
Another officer urged people travelling in an intoxicated state not to drive but to hire a chauffeur.
A man driving a car from Dhakuria towards Jadavpur in south Kolkata on Saturday night was allegedly found to have consumed 10 times more alcohol than the permissible limit. He was arrested when he allegedly tried to break through a guardrail and abused police officers.
A four-wheeler was intercepted and the man at the wheel fined for rash driving. “He committed the same offence and sped off even after the challan was issued,” said an officer on Southern Avenue.
