THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Operation of bars has been put in crisis by police inspection. The police are waiting outside bars and using breathalyzers to catch people coming out of bars.

It is common for police to prosecute and fine people for drunk driving. It is reported that the policemen are being forced to carry out such checks to arrest more cases of drunken driving as a part of pressure from the CIs in the city stations. Some policemen are conducting checks in mufti.

Several people have been arrested in front of bars in the city in recent days. They are charged with dangerous driving under the influence of alcohol. In many places, the inspection is in the presence of SIs. People who come on two-wheelers are widely caught in this way. The CPOs would rush to the two-wheelers coming out of a bar. After checking them with a breathalyser, they will immediately get into the back of the vehicle and then take them straight to the station to register a case.

Bar owners are protesting against such inspection in the premises of the bars, which contribute a lot in taxes to the state's exchequer. The bar owners complain that the police are creating a crisis so that people do not enter the bars that are operating by paying license fees of lakhs. Over the years, the police have been verbally instructed not to check in front of bars as it would affect the operation of the bars.

Memo if not caught

A memo was issued by the CI of the Fort station to the grade SI for not apprehending any case of drunk driving on Dryday on the 1st of this month. Although the officials said that no such cases were noticed during the inspection, the CI was not satisfied and took a reply in writing.