More than 130 motorists were caught driving in a state of intoxication in the city during a check carried out by police on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
Night prosecutions are usually carried out by the traffic department.
But on Tuesday night, officers of all nine police divisions took part in the drive to assess the number of traffic violators on a weekday night.
“The drive continued from 9.30pm on Tuesday to 4.30am on Wednesday. As it was a joint drive by the traffic department and police stations, the number of check posts was higher than that during routine drives by traffic guards,” a senior police officer in Lalbazar said.
Police said the 25 traffic guards prosecuted 77 motorists for drink driving, while officers of the nine police divisions caught 54 more across the city for the same offence.
Several police officers said it was not possible to stop each and every vehicle to conduct the alcohol test with a breathalyser.
“The number could be more than what we see in the prosecution figures, which is alarming,” said an officer in the traffic department.
During Tuesday night and Wednesday morning’s drive, 424 others were prosecuted for various types of traffic offences such as signal jumping, central line violation, no-parking violation, riding without a helmet, dangerous driving, speeding and disorderly conduct.
However, the cops feel drink driving has emerged as one of the biggest challenges for traffic cops as well as for other motorists and pedestrians, whose lives are at stake if they encounter a vehicle driven by someone who has consumed excessive alcohol.
Recently, a New Alipore resident who was returning home in a Honda City died when her car, which was stationary at a traffic signal, was hit by a Mercedes Benz that was allegedly being driven by a man under the influence of alcohol.
Minu Dhandhania died on the spot. Husband Devkishan, who was in the car, suffered multiple rib fractures.
