New year revelry, Police book 25 DD cases

Mangaluru: The drive against drunk driving in Mangaluru police limits has recorded just 25 cases, according to a police blotter of Jan 1.

According to the police, the drive against drunk driving was organised on the night of 31 December 2024 in four traffic sub-divisions in Mangaluru police commissionerate jurisdiction in eight major traffic intersections, including Nanthoor junction, Kottara Chowki, Baikampady junction, Kuloor Ayyappa temple, Red Rock Mukka, Mahaveera circle, and Padil junction. The squads placed at these places tested 553 drivers, the highest being in the North Traffic sub division numbering 230, and the lowest being Kottara Chowki at 40 tests.

For the size of the city of Mangaluru, which is also the second largest city in the state known for the consumption of liquor and beer, the numbers do not mean much. This is also for the reason the tipplers played it safe; by not restoring to drive after the New Year party revelry, the youngsters who did not want to be booked by the police under the DD category had taken a person who was a non-tippler along to drive them back. Most of them stayed back at their homes, invited friends and cousins over with food, and extended stay-over facilities to them. As a result, in the major places in the city—Falnir, Balmatta, Bejai, Urva, Kavoor, Yeyyadi, Kankanadi, and other uptown places—tables were available even at 9 pm without reservation.

It is also a fact that since the district administration had opened the beachfront for New Year revelry, the pubs, bars, and restaurants had fewer crowds than usual.

Santhosh Shetty, a bar-restaurant owner at Kulai, told this correspondent that the hotel owners association of Mangaluru Commissionerate jurisdiction had advised the managements of the bars, pubs, and restaurants to organise pick-up and drop-off facilities for their customers in collaboration with the taxi operators.

Another reason for the subdued and highly regulated New Year revelry was that the police had released elaborate guidelines and drunk driving was considered on zero-tolerance levels. Elders of the city were happy that their youngsters were safe even while they had their full party spirits out.