170 held for drunk driving as New Year festivities gather steam in Mumbai

As traffic police fanned out in the suburbs with breathalysers, a senior official said 170 people have been held so far for drunken driving in Mumbai on New Year's eve.

The number of people gathered at Juhu beach for New Year festivities, as on 11pm on Tuesday, was less than last year though celebrations were gathering momentum as the midnight approached, said police officials manning the area.

As traffic police fanned out in the suburbs with breathalysers, a senior official said 170 people have been held so far for drunken driving.

A senior official said that so far no untoward incident had been reported from Juhu or Versova beach, another area in the western suburbs popular with revelers ringing in the New Year.

"So far, Juhu beach has less people when compared to last year. We are also keeping a watch on Versova. No untoward incident has been reported from anywhere," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone IX) Paramjeet Dahiya said.

Sandit Bhajibhakre, Deputy Commissioner of Traffic Police (Suburbs), said 170 people have been held so far for drunken driving.

Meanwhile, Zone X police raided a bar in Andheri where obscene dances were underway and rescued 24 women, while 11 people were arrested.

"Seven customers, two managers and two waiters were arrested. We are registering a case under IPC and Maharashtra Prohibition of Obscene Dance Act," said DCP (Zone X) Ankit Goel.