The police may not deter you from drinking and driving, but what about ‘Yamaraj’? Stepping up its drive against drunken driving, the Bangalore city traffic police launched a unique initiative here on Friday. Five policemen, dressed as Yamaraj, went to different areas in the city advising people against drunken driving.
“You have to understand that if you drink and drive, I will come and take you away from earth,” said M. Vasudeva Mallur, an official in the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP), playing his role as Yamaraj, on M.G. Road.
The drive was organised on Friday in five police station limits — Ashok Nagar, Cubbon Park, Upparpet, Indiranagar and Adugodi.
Explaining the idea behind the drive, B. Dayanand, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) said: “The idea was to drive home the point that if the police catch you drinking and driving, they will fine you or recommend to the Transport Department that your licence be suspended. But if Yamaraj catches you, you’ll lose your life.” M.N.B. Prasad, DCP Traffic (East) said the police were not only stopping drivers and bikers on the road and telling them not to drink and drive, but were also visiting bars and restaurants to advise them.
“We will continue doing this every few days and cover the major areas in the city where there is traffic and where we find quite a number of people drinking and driving,” Mr. Prasad said.
