27 held for consuming liquor in public places

As many as 27 persons were arrested in Kanpur on charges of consuming liquor in public places on Monday.
The raids, on the instructions of SSP KS Emannuel, were conducted at GT road highway. Police sources said that the detainees were let out from police station after being warned and fined. The raids which continued till late night mainly targeted the dhabas and other eateries on GT road.
There had been several complaints by travellers that drunken men indulge in violence at the slightest pretext at these dhabas. “I used to travel on this highway and often came across untoward incidents at these roadside eateries. The guzzlers deliberately target women family members after getting drunk,” said Manoj Mittal, a resident of Kalyanpur.
Locals living in nearby apartment close to IIT-Kanpur are also facing problems with the unruly youth who gather at these joints and consume liquor in broad daylight. “Some of them park their vehicles in front of the dhabas and drink inside their vehicles. People particularly women have stopped going to these dhabas due to the nuisance created by the drunkards. Complaints to the police did not yield any results in the past, but I am happy city police took notice and checked this,” said Punit Khare, a local shop-keeper at Rawatpur.
A police official said the drive against consumption of alcohol in public place was a part of their routine exercise but SSP KS Emannuel described it as a special effort with intensified raids to curb nuisance in public places.
“On Sunday night, one of the major raids was on a dhaba belonging to one Titu on GT road. Some men, who were drinking there, were rounded up. Each of them was reportedly fined. The raids will continue,” said he.