AHMEDABAD: A circular to all
police stations
and
agencies
across the state from the director general of police’s office, dated December 3, says the
smelling of mouths
of persons suspected to be drunk, by
police
or panch witnesses, is prohibited till further orders.
The orders says this is because of the risk of
Covid-19
being transmitted to the cops or panch witnesses.
According to police sources, so far
FIR
in such cases state that “from the person’s condition, eyes, slurring and smelling of his mouth by cops and panch witnesses it appeared that the person was drunk”. Police officials said the person is then held and sent for a
medical test
.
A senior police official said that while drawing up panchnamas of persons who seem to be drunk, the cops or personnel of any law enforcement agency should not smell their mouth.
“The only things that should be in the FIR and be done while up drawing a panchnama is the description of the person’s physical condition, whether they can stand and speak properly and if their eyes seem as if they are drunk. The suspect should then be sent for a medical test,” a senior police official said.
In most FIRs concerning persons caught drunk, the cops use an almost identical template, stating that by smelling their mouths and making panch witnesses do so, it appeared that the accused was drunk.