The night also witnessed several unusual incidents as motorists tried to evade the law
WARANGAL: As 2026 began, police across the erstwhile Warangal and Karimnagar districts faced a night of high drama and record intoxication levels during an intensive New Year’s Eve crackdown. Hundreds of cases were booked under drunk driving laws across the Warangal, Karimnagar and Ramagundam Police Commissionerate limits.
While police were deployed in full strength to ensure public safety, a motorist in Hanamkonda stunned officers by recording an alcohol level of 530 mg/dL on the breathalyzer, the highest reading reported in the state so far this year.
The night also witnessed several unusual incidents as motorists tried to evade the law. In Ramagundam, one person delayed the test by holding the breathalyser straw in his mouth for nearly 30 minutes without blowing into it. After prolonged arguments and a stern warning, he finally complied, recording 89 mg/dL. His vehicle was immediately seized.
At Rekurthi Nagar in Karimnagar, a young man caught driving under the influence resorted to tearing his shirt and crying on the road in a desperate attempt to avoid a case. He even fell at the feet of police personnel, pleading for leniency. Officers calmed him down before seizing his vehicle.
In another incident in Karimnagar town, a motorist flatly refused to undergo a breathalyser test and engaged in a heated verbal argument with the police. Officials remained firm, seized the vehicle and booked a case as per rules.
Meanwhile, in Bhupalpally town, a few individuals attempted to obstruct police while drunk driving checks were underway near the MRO office. SI Srinivas warned them that the checks were aimed at preventing road accidents and cautioned that obstruction of police duties would invite serious action before continuing the drive.
In a move to ensure safety across all services, staff of 108 Ambulance services in Bhupalpally were also subjected to breathalyser tests. Acting on instructions from higher authorities, district manager Raju Naik conducted surprise checks on ambulance staff and pilots at midnight to ensure they were not under the influence of alcohol.
The enforcement drive was conducted on a massive scale, with teams stationed at all major junctions. A total of 433 drunk driving cases were booked under Warangal Police Commissionerate limits, 244 in Ramagundam and 121 in Karimnagar. Vehicles of all violators were seized on the spot. Offenders will now face fines, suspension of driving licences and mandatory counselling sessions to address the dangers of drunk driving.
