Drunk passengers: High Court notice to Railways

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Thursday issued notices to Southern Railway, on a plea challenging the Railways’ decision to  impose a ban on drunk passengers inside trains and on
platforms.The Southern Railway has launched a drive to check drunk passengers on its premises and in the trains by using breath-analysers and to book them for the offence under section 145 (a) of the Railway Act.
 Those found guilty will have to pay a fine of Rs 500 or undergo imprisonment for up to six months.The petitioner, K N Shastry of Kochi, submitted that the Railways’ decision was illegal. “A person being found on the Railway premises after having consumed  alcohol is not an offender and action can be taken against persons only if they are “in a state of intoxication”, the petitioner said, reiterating the distinction between consumption of alcohol and drunkenness.