Pune
Updated : Jul 27, 2014, 05:14 PM IST
Revellers who refuse to own up to their act when caught while driving under the influence of alcohol should now be careful lest criminal cases are registered against them. The traffic branch has now procured 30 state-of-the-art breath analysers which can also click instant pictures and generate a challan receipt at the spot.
Police Inspector (Planning) R S Kamire said that the traffic branch had to face flak from the revellers, who at times, accused the police for booking them on false charges. However, the new breath analysers will leave no room for doubt. The technological superiority of the machines is such that it produces a picture and the receipt at the moment a reveller is stopped by the cops, which means identity of the offender cannot be questioned.
The new gadget is armed with a cellphone-like device which records the data related to picture and even has a bluetooth facility. The traffic branch will be giving a crash course to the policemen to handle the sophisticated gadgets before they swung into mass drives.
Deputy commissioner of police (traffic), Vishwas Pandhare said that it has become possible for the traffic cops to provide each of its divisions with two breath analysers which was not possible earlier. "Our current focus is to use the additional breath analysers in carrying out enforcement related drunk driving cases which are increasing every month in the city ," Pandhare added.
Pandhare said that strict warning has been issued to the revellers to accept their involvement , take the receipt and pay the fine. Any failure in this regard will be viewed seriously and criminal cases related to obstructing a government from discharing his duty will be lodged, he added.
The new breath analysers are a part of the traffic related fund sanctioned by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in June 2013. Traffic department officials maintained the addition of the new gadgets has made them well-equipped to carry out drives in different traffic divisions of the city.