- A drunk man in Gurugram was run over while unconscious on the road on Thursday
- The car's tyre went over his chest, causing him to jerk awake and move away
- The man lay on Bhuteshwar Mandir Chowk street for hours before passersby checked on him
A drunk man in Gurugram was run over by a car while he was lying unconscious on the road on Thursday. The vehicle's tyre went over his chest, which made him jerk awake. The car stopped immediately, and the man moved out from under it.
A video of the incident shows the man lying in the middle of Bhuteshwar Mandir Chowk street for several hours as other vehicles drove around him. After he was run over, passersby approached to check on him. He initially remained in a foetal position and later sat up. He did not appear to have serious injuries. Initiated by bystanders to stand, he shook his head in his intoxicated state and did not move.
Being drunk in public can be dangerous, and there are laws to prevent such behaviour.
Section 510 of the Indian Penal Code addresses misconduct in public by individuals under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants. It aims to maintain public order by penalising behaviour that causes annoyance or disturbance in public spaces.
The law says that if a person appears intoxicated in a public place, or in a location where they have no right to be, and behaves in a way that annoys others, they can face simple imprisonment for up to 24 hours, a fine of up to ten rupees, or both.
The key elements include visible intoxication, acting in a public area or unauthorised private property, and causing annoyance or disturbance to others. Since last year, Section 510 has been replaced by Section 355 under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The new section increases the maximum fine to Rs 1,000 and allows for community service as an alternative punishment.
