Ramya who died after the car in which she was travelling got hit by another car at Panjagutta, Hyderabad. Ramya’s family organised a candlelight march at KBR park demanding justice. They wanted action against all those who drink and drive vehicle.

Telangana government has decided to raid all pubs, bars and restaurants who sell liquor to minors. The Excise department will be imposing strict punishment to all the pubs and bars that serve liquor to under-aged in violation of rules.

Under the punishment, the bar or pub will impose a hefty fine and the owner will be arrested.  A similar act has already been imposed in Kerala.   

The excise department has decided to impose Rs 1 lakh fine for bar owners. New measures have been imposed like surprise checks, installation of CCTVs inside the bar are compulsory.

Senior officials of Excise department said that “from here on they would be conducting special drives to check sale of liquor to minors. Earlier the department focused mostly on selling illicit liquor. But, henceforth we will be going on an overdrive to tackle this problem.”

In the similar matter, the police booked a case against a bar for serving alcohol. The bar served liquor to the accused who claimed the lives of two people, including 10-year-old Ramya.

The police said that “the accused, who were responsible for rash driving, were below the age of 21. The TGI Fridays, a bar at Cineplex under Banjara Hills police station limits, served liquor to youngsters on an ill-fated day, when the car Ramya and her family members were travelling in was hit by a vehicle driven by one of the underage patrons.”

Banjara Hills Inspector K Srinivas said “the bar was served notice and booked under section 36 (1) (g) of Excise Act. As the bar violated the norms, which restricts serving liquor to a person below 21 years, we served it a notice and registered a case under Excise Act,”

In another incident, the Banjara Hills traffic police caught 15 minors during a drunk and driving drive on Monday. Speaking to media persons on Tuesday, Traffic DCP L S Chauhan said “a total of 108 cases were registered during the afternoon. “

DCP added, “Criminal cases will be booked and Excise Department will be notified to cancel a licence if these bars are found serving liquor to minors.”

Also Read: Drunk drivers to shell out huge fine and enhanced jail term

By M. Divya Shri