Chandigarh: What began as a drunken-driving violation at a traffic checkpoint ended with two young men from Ludhiana standing at one of Chandigarh’s busiest intersections, holding placards that read ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ and helping police regulate traffic.The violators, both residents of Samrala in Ludhiana, were seen alongside Chandigarh traffic police at Matka Chowk in Sector 16 on Tuesday, carrying out community service ordered by a court. As part of service, the duo urged motorists not to get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol, acknowledging that such behaviour endangers both the driver and others on the road.The unusual punishment stemmed from an incident on Sunday night when the two were stopped at an anti-drunken driving checkpoint on the dividing road between Sectors 34 and 35. One of the youths, who was driving an SUV, was found to be heavily intoxicated. A breath analyser test recorded his blood alcohol level at 238 mg per 100 ml of blood — nearly eight times the permissible limit of 30 mg.According to the police, the occupants allegedly refused to cooperate during the checking, declined to reveal their identities and misbehaved with woman traffic marshal Sukhjeet Kaur and other personnel on duty.The vehicle was impounded and a challan issued. Subsequently, the court imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 and directed the violators to undertake four days of community service with the Chandigarh traffic police.As part of the court’s directions, the duo will assist traffic personnel at designated intersections and help spread awareness about road safety and compliance with traffic rules. The court also ordered the suspension of the driver’s licence for three months, during which he will remain disqualified from driving any category of vehicle covered under the licence.
