DCW Issues Notice To Delhi Police On Increasing Instances Of Drunk Driving

New Delhi: Days after Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal was molested and dragged by an inebriated man, the women's panel on Saturday issued a notice to the Delhi Police on increasing instances of drunk driving in the national capital and sought information latest by January 24.

DCW took cognizance of increasing incidents of people drinking and driving on the roads of Delhi.

"The Delhi Commission for Women has taken cognizance on increasing incidents of people drinking and driving on the roads of Delhi. Recently on New Year's eve, a 20-year-old girl was murdered in Kanjhawala after being hit by a car and dragged for several kilometres. It was learnt that the accused persons were heavily drunk. In another incident, on January 19, 2023, at around 3 am, a person in an inebriated state sexually harassed and dragged the undersigned on Ring Road (opposite AIIMS bus stop)," the DCW said in a statement signed by Swati Maliwal.

The Commission further said that drinking and driving is not only one of the most common causes of accidents but also poses a huge threat to women's safety.

The DCW said that it has also launched an enquiry into the steps taken by Delhi Police to counter drinking and driving on Delhi roads.

"This menace needs to be stopped urgently. It is learnt that Delhi Police had stopped using a breath analyser for identifying drunk drivers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Considering the above-mentioned incidents as well as many others of the same nature, the Commission has launched an enquiry into the steps taken by Delhi Police to counter drinking and driving on Delhi roads," it said.

The Commission asked Police to provide information on whether the use of a breath analyser has been resumed for identifying those indulging in the crime of drinking and driving. It also asked for the date when the use of a breath analyser was stopped and the date when the practice was resumed.

 "If the use of breath analysers for checking the menace of drunk driving has not been resumed fully, please provide reasons for the same and the date when it will be resumed again. Number of breath analyser testing machines available with Delhi Police as on date. Out of these, please inform the number of machines that are functional," the Commission asked.

It further asked to provide information on the number of challans issued by Delhi Police for drunk driving year-wise since 2017 till date and the number of repeat offenders caught by Police year-wise since 2017 till date along with the action taken against them.

The Commission asked for the number of police pickets and personnels deployed by Delhi Police to check cases of drinking and driving on New Year's eve 2023 and the number of challans issued by Delhi Police for drinking and driving on the night of December 31 between 6 pm to 9 am.

It also asked to provide information on steps taken by Delhi Police to strengthen its mechanism of checking persons indulging in drunk driving alter the recent murder of a 20-year-old girl in Kanjhawla by persons under the influence of alcohol.

"Please provide the sought information to the Commission latest by January 24, 2023," it added.

Notably, a 20-year-old woman identified as Anjali died after allegedly being dragged in the Kanjhawala area of Delhi for several kilometres.

Later on January 19, DCW chief Maliwal alleged that she was "molested" and "dragged by a car" for several metres opposite AIIMS in the national capital.

The DCW chief in her complaint to police alleged that the man who was driving a white-coloured car stopped his car near where she was standing and "made indecent gestures" at her. (ANI)

• #New Delhi