Ernakulam Rural police in Keralam book 17,181 motorists for traffic violations in 11 days

You don’t have any Active Subscription.

Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription

The Ernakulam Rural police have taken action against 17,181 vehicle owners for traffic violations during the first 11 days of November, with enforcement agencies launching an intensified crackdown on offenders following criticism over repeated fatal road accidents.

Of this, as many as 1,017 people were booked for drunken driving during the special drive. Action was taken against drivers of 1,316 vehicles for speeding and reckless driving. These included 278 buses.

Cases were registered against 25 buses for serious traffic violations.

The police have also recommended the cancellation of the driving licences of 66 people, including parents or guardians of minors caught driving vehicles.

Special teams have been deployed across all five subdivisions in the rural police district as part of the enforcement drive led by District Police Chief (Ernakulam Rural) K.S. Sudarshan.

“Checks are being carried out round the clock. Inspections are also under way at district borders, with police dogs deployed as part of the operation,” the police said.

The intensified drive comes amid growing concerns over fatal road accidents in Ernakulam district.

A luxury car crashed into a two-wheeler near Nedumbassery on October 11, claiming the lives of three youths. On October 25, a 55-year-old two-wheeler rider was fatally knocked down by a speeding car, allegedly driven by a minor, at Cheranalloor.

A 28-year-old woman pedestrian was run over by a private bus near Kakkanad on November 4.

The Kerala High Court has repeatedly criticised the authorities over inadequate road safety enforcement and their failure to prevent reckless driving.

The police said the inspections would continue in the coming days and warned of strict action against violators. The Kochi city police and the Motor Vehicles Department have also launched a series of enforcement drives in the wake of the recent accidents.

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.