More than 15,000 cases booked for consumption of alcohol in public places: SP

Vizianagaram SP cracks down on public alcohol consumption using drones to deter bad habits and ensure road safety.

Vizianagaram Superintendent of Police Vakul Jindal on Sunday (April 27, 2025) said consumption of alcohol in public places, including parks, groves, and paddy fields will not be tolerated as it will draw others towards the bad habit. Drones are being used to identify those consuming alcohol in public places. Speaking to The Hindu in Vizianagaram, he said 15,578 petty cases were booked against such persons, and they were released after paying the statutory fines in the court.

On the direction of Mr. Vakul, the cops registered 8,527 cases between July and December, 2024 and 7051 cases from January to April last week of 2025. “Our aim is not to punish them but to make them give up the habit of public consumption of alcohol. Slowly, they may become addicted to Ganja and other drugs if the drinking habit is not controlled. The usage of drones to identify them may act as a deterrent and prevent others from open drinking habit,” he added.

He said that cases such as nuisance, street fights, and drunken driving would also come down as the people caught in open drinking cases would not make the same mistake again in near future. Mr. Jindal said the department was focussing on road safety also. He said the department requested the National Highway Authority of India to arrange speed breakers on roads connected to National Highway so that the speed of vehicles could be controlled.