New Delhi: A total of 1,752 drunken revellers were penalised by Delhi Police on New Year, double from 2017, with the majority of the offenders being youngsters, officials said today.   A total of 16,720 challans were issued for various traffic violations on the New Year's Eve and after midnight, Special Commissioner of Police, Traffic, Dependra Pathak told the press.   

In 2016, the number of revellers caught for drunken driving was 889 out of the 13,260 challans issued for various traffic violations.   Thousands of Delhi Police personnel, including those of Traffic Police, were yesterday deployed at 433 points across the city. At 125 spots, teams with alcometers were deployed, he said. 

"A total 745 persons were booked for drunken driving before 12 in the night. Another 1,007 were booked after that, totaling the number to 1,753. Majority of the offenders were youngsters in their early twenties and thirties," the officer said.   The Traffic Police had adopted "zero tolerance" policy towards drunken driving that often leads to the surge in the number of offenders caught during new year celebrations.   

Most of the violators were caught at party hubs in the city including Connaught Place, Khan Market, Hauz Khas, Cross River Mall.   Also, 193 challans were issued for over-speeding, 507 for dangerous driving, while a whopping 3,665 people were penalised for riding two-wheelers without a helmet, even as 1,125 flouted one-way rule on certain city roads, officials said. PTI