Published Nov 09, 2026 | 1:49 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 09, 2026 | 1:49 PM
Statewide enforcement will be intensified to identify drunk drivers, with the police planning special night-time combing operations across Keralam.
The state government is considering permanently revoking the driving licences of motorists caught driving under the influence of alcohol, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has said.
He said high-level discussions were under way between the police and the Transport Minister on introducing the measure.
Warning of stringent action against violators, Chennithala said there would be no leniency towards those who put the lives of other road users at risk by driving under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants. Statewide enforcement will be intensified to identify drunk drivers, with the police planning special night-time combing operations across Keralam.
So far, around 17,000 people have been apprehended for drunken driving, he said. The Minister said the police had been directed to take strict legal action against offenders, stressing that ensuring the safety of pedestrians and the general public was a key responsibility of the force.
Alongside enforcement, the police are conducting traffic training and public awareness programmes to reduce road accidents. Chennithala also announced that the second phase of #OperationToofan, titled ‘Toofan Care’, will be launched on November 16.
The initiative will focus on the rehabilitation of people struggling with substance abuse and helping them return to normal life. Around 35 hospitals have agreed to join the programme.
A meeting of representatives of the participating hospitals will be convened in Thiruvananthapuram to coordinate the initiative. The Minister said police-run de-addiction centres had already helped several people find their way back to normal life.
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(With inputs from Dileep V Kumar. Edited by R Rajesh Kumar.)
