As Gujarat ushered in the New Year, its strict prohibition laws were put to a severe test. Statewide police vigilance resulted in a significant number of arrests, revealing a determined effort by many to circumvent the dry law for celebratory revelry.
Statewide Crackdown Yields High Numbers
By Thursday afternoon, official figures confirmed that over 1,700 individuals had been apprehended across Gujarat in the week leading up to New Year's Eve, with a majority of the arrests occurring on Wednesday night itself. This surge in offences highlighted a clear pattern of merrymakers attempting to bypass stringent checks to consume alcohol.
Valsad Tops the List with Spirited Escapades
The district of Valsad emerged as the epicenter of the crackdown, recording a staggering 1,149 arrests since Sunday. A significant number of these revellers were reportedly caught returning from neighbouring union territories like Daman and Silvassa. The momentum peaked on Wednesday night alone, with police nabbing 564 people. Out of these, 185 were charged with drunk driving, while the remainder were detained for public intoxication.
Major Cities Report Significant Arrests
In Ahmedabad, the commercial capital, a focused operation between 9 PM on New Year's Eve and 6 AM on New Year's Day led to 238 arrests. The charges were distributed with 69 for drunk driving, 123 for being in an inebriated state, and 54 for illegal possession of liquor. Surat district reported 84 arrests since Tuesday, with intensive checks conducted on highways. Vadodara city police also arrested 72 people for drunk driving or public intoxication on the eve of the New Year.
Vigilance in Saurashtra-Kutch and Coastal Regions
Police authorities maintained high alert across the Saurashtra-Kutch region, particularly in districts sharing a border with Diu, to intercept individuals attempting to re-enter the state under the influence. Party plots and farmhouses were under special surveillance. The enforcement continued through Thursday night, with Gir-Somnath police registering 138 cases under the Prohibition Act. Junagadh police registered around 70 drink-and-drive cases and caught 185 people in an intoxicated state. Rajkot police, meanwhile, filed 21 cases of drunk driving, eight under the Motor Vehicles Act, and 14 cases for illegal possession of liquor.
The collective data from across Gujarat underscores the persistent challenge of enforcing prohibition during festive periods, despite dedicated police efforts and widespread checks. The numbers from the New Year week offer a clear snapshot of the scale of violations and the corresponding law enforcement response in the dry state.
