Pune News: In a move to curb rising cases of drunk driving, the Pune Police have introduced a new policy that could result in the permanent cancellation of driving licenses for repeat offenders. This move comes just months after an incident where a minor, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, was involved in an accident that claimed the lives of two software engineers.

According to the new guidelines, if a driver is found driving under the influence of alcohol, their license will be revoked for a period of three months for the first offense. However, if the individual is caught committing the same offense again, their license will be canceled for a duration of six months. Furthermore, if an individual commits the same offense for the third time, it will lead to the permanent cancellation of the driver's license, leaving them with no option to regain their driving privileges.

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The implementation of this policy is a direct response to the alarming rise in drunk driving incidents in Pune. In the last six months alone, a staggering 1,684 individuals have been booked in the drunk and driving case.

The catalyst for this crackdown was the incident that occurred in the early hours of May 19, when a 17-year-old juvenile, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, was driving a Porsche at a dangerously high speed. The vehicle crashed into a motorcycle, resulting in the deaths of two software engineers, Aneesh Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta, in the Kalyani Nagar area of Pune.

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The immediate response from the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) initially granted the minor bail on the same day, sparking nationwide outrage. However, the police subsequently appealed the decision and on May 22, the board ordered the boy to be taken into custody and remanded to an observation home.

However, the saga did not end there. On June 25, the Bombay High Court overruled the JJB's decision and granted the juvenile bail, ordering his release from the observation home.