16K drunk driving cases booked across TN this month

Chennai: As many as 16,031 cases of drunk driving were registered across Tamil Nadu between June 1 and 16 during a statewide enforcement drive by the Prohibition Enforcement Wing of the Enforcement Bureau CID.Police teams conducted vehicle checks and breathalyser tests at multiple locations across the state. During the operation, 14,100 vehicles were seized and fines totalling ₹3.13 crore were imposed on offenders.The seized vehicles included 13,299 two-wheelers, 156 three-wheelers, and 645 four-wheelers.Director general of police Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal said, “We have planned to conduct similar drives against drug use, traffic violations and other issues.

One issue at one time,” he said.Officials said about 1,500 police personnel were deployed at selected spots across Tamil Nadu. Teams operated from fixed vehicle-checking points and carried out intensive inspections.Chennai traffic enforcement wing also intensified action against pending drunk-driving cases and collected ₹1.69 crore in fines over the past two weeks. Police disposed of 1,628 pending cases as part of a special recovery drive. Of the 8,655 drunk-driving cases pending in Chennai, motorists were contacted through police call centres and directed to pay fines. Special camps were organised at 180 locations across the city to facilitate payments.

Police said 785 cases were settled through follow-up by call centres alone, resulting in the collection of ₹81.85 lakh in fines.