Stopped for drunken driving, MNC exec, air hostess assault cops, held

GURUGRAM: An MNC executive and an air hostess with a private airline were arrested for allegedly attacking traffic cops after being stopped for suspected drunk driving on MG Road late on Sunday night. The two were produced in a city court on Monday that sent them to judicial custody for 14 days.

This comes just a day after a traffic policeman was assaulted by two youths after they were fined for drunk driving in Sector 29. This year alone, there have been as many as 18 instances of attacks on traffic cops by drunk drivers in the city.

Police have identified the MNC executive as 25-year-old Dhanajay Johri, a resident of Delhi’s Janakpuri, and the airline staffer as 22-year-old Nikki Tiwari, a resident of DLF-4. Both were drunk at the time of the arrest, cops said.

Around 1 am, the duo was driving out of MG Road in a Verna when they were stopped by traffic police at a barricade near Sahara Mall. Dhanajay and Nikki were both asked to step out of the car for a breathalyser test.

“But they were reluctant to undergo the test and when insisted, both came out of the car and started arguing with the traffic cops on duty. The heated arguments led to a scuffle and the duo ended up assaulting two to three policemen,” said ASI Sandeep of Sector 29 police station.

The assault, however, did not last long as other policemen managed to overpower the duo and forced them to take the breathalyser test.

“Both had consumed alcohol above the prescribed limit and were not in position to drive the car,” said Gurugram police spokesperson Subhash Bokan.

Dhanajay and Nikki have been booked under sections 332 (voluntarily causes hurt), 353 (assault), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 189 (injury to public servant) and 34 (common intention) of IPC at Sector 29 police station. Their car was also impounded, Bokan said.

“Police can impound the vehicle, impose fine and even recommend for suspension of driving licences of drunk drivers,” he added.

This is not the first time that policemen have been attacked while performing their duties. On Saturday night, two youths had assaulted a traffic cop in Sector 29 area.

The youths were coming out of the sector after a late night party when they were stopped by police. The driver was examined with the help of a breathalyser and found to be drunk.

When the cops were preparing a challan to impound their vehicle, the duo started arguing and then went on to assault a cop.

The accused — Manish, a resident of Miyawali Nagar in west Delhi, and Tejveer Dahiya, a resident of Sector 43 — were arrested and sent to jail by a court.

However, police said the assaults would not deter them from conducting regular drives against drunk driving in the city. “Our drives will continue. These are mainly to check accidents on roads,” said Bokan.