ASI’s drunken rampage wrecks over 12 vehicles

Chaos erupted on the Kaimbwala Road, behind Sukhna Lake, on Wednesday afternoon when an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of the Chandigarh Police, identified as Daljit Singh, allegedly drove his car in an inebriated state and crashed it into a series of vehicles.

Witnesses said the ASI appeared so drunk he could barely see the road, ploughing into one vehicle after another and creating panic along the stretch.

Police sources confirmed that Daljit Singh, posted with the Security Wing, had been absent from duty without informing the department. On Wednesday morning, when he reported for duty in an intoxicated condition, he was immediately placed under suspension. The same day, still heavily intoxicated, he took his car out and rammed it into multiple vehicles on the Kaimbwala Road.

He is suspected to have hit over a dozen vehicles, including cars and scooters. The rampage ended only when his car collided head-on with a school bus. Fortunately, all children and staff on board escaped unhurt, though the impact caused alarm among bystanders and motorists.

After the collision, locals alerted the Police Control Room. The PCR team, on arrival, faced difficulty extricating the ASI from the mangled car as he was trapped inside. Officers eventually broke open the door and pulled him out. The windscreen had shattered during the collisions, causing a deep injury to his forehead and one eye. He was rushed to hospital.

Senior police officials said that while the ASI was clearly intoxicated, no complainant had come forward to register a case. As a result, legal action was limited to issuing a challan under Section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act for drunk driving. A departmental inquiry will now examine his conduct, unauthorised absence and the events leading up to the incident. Strict disciplinary action is expected once the inquiry and medical reports are complete.