Kochi Police Seize Buses and Arrest Drunk Drivers in Safety Drive

UPDATE - follow-up to Kochi police seize three private buses as drivers found allegedly drunk; 35 offences detected in special drive: Kochi City police seized three private buses on Monday after checks showed their drivers were allegedly drunk.

The Crackdown

Officers checked 132 buses in and around Kakkanad and Thrikkakara between 5.30 a.m. and 8 a.m. The special drive caught 35 total offences. Police arrested the drivers found under the influence of alcohol, seized their vehicles, and sent the buses to court. Thrikkakara ACP Bijoy Chandran stated that authorities will now work to suspend the licences of those drivers.

Official Action

This safety campaign follows a fatal accident where a speeding bus ran over a woman pedestrian near Kakkanad. Courts previously criticized police for failing to stop rash driving by some private bus workers. Kochi City Police Chief R. Nishanthini noted that strict steps are underway against rule-breaking staff. Police also plan to finish issuing police clearance certificates for roughly 1,200 bus workers within a week after holding a stakeholder meeting.

Context

Public safety crackdowns often follow tragic accidents to address long-standing complaints about public transport rules. Local authorities use vehicle checks and mandatory clearance certificates to monitor commercial drivers.