Gurgaon: In 2 weeks, 400 held for drinking in public

The city police seem to be in no mood to spare people caught drinking in public places or cars.

The city police seem to be in no mood to spare people caught drinking in public places or cars.

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As part of a special drive, more than 400 persons have been arrested in Gurgaon while 237 cases were registered under sections 68/1/14 of the Excise Act since February 20.

Those who landed in police custody include top honchos, BPO executives and white-collar professionals who had to spend a night in the police station.

They were, however, freed on bail after being produced before the duty magistrate the next morning.

DCP (east) Maheshwar Dayal said that much to the surprise of the police teams, a sizable number of people found drinking at public places were educated professionals from well-to-do backgrounds.

Senior MNC executives such as CEOs, vice-presidents, CFOs and even CMDs were among those caught on the wrong foot, he added.

The police drive was initiated in public interest to ensure law and order and safety of residents, especially women and children. Special teams, comprising personnel from all 23 city police stations on rotation basis, conduct raids on daily basis mainly targeting areas near liquor vends.

The move will help check crime rates in the city, police feel. Earlier, several cases of eve-teasing and molestation were reported near liquor vends.

Anil Singh (name changed) said, “We found it economical to have drinks with friends in our car but now it is not possible after the police crackdown.”

Anoop Singh, vice-president of a MNC, said, “The crowd in pubs often gets rowdy and brawls are also common so we preferred drinking in our car.”

The police action will now act as a deterrent and stop nuisance on city streets.