Uppal SHO Lakshmi Madhaviโs emotional counseling to drunk driver impresses netizens

Hyderabad: Typically, drunk driving offenses lead to license suspension, counseling, and fines. However, Uppal Station House Officer (SHO) Lakshmi Madhavi took an emotional approach to reform a local individual caught driving under the influence.
During a routine checkpoint in Uppal, she addressed a father who had been caught driving drunk alongside his young son. In a heartwarming moment, SHO Madhavi asked the man to promise his son, “Dad, I need you. Promise me you wonโt drink and drive again.” This heartfelt plea moved the father, prompting him to reconsider his actions.
๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ค๐ฌ๐ก๐ฆ๐ข ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ขโ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ก ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐ง๐ค ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐
Typically, drunk driving offenses lead to license suspension, counseling, and fines. However, Uppal SHO Lakshmi Madhavi tookโฆ pic.twitter.com/BnBDIVcUGd
โ Hyderabad Mail (@Hyderabad_Mail) January 6, 2025
The emotional video of the intervention has gone viral, with many praising Lakshmi Madhavi for her emotional and compassionate approach. Viewers have lauded her, calling her “great” for finding a way to connect with the individual on a personal level, rather than simply enforcing the law through fines and penalties.
Sai Teja, a viewer, commented, โThis is a good thing. It not only creates awareness but also motivates people to change. An emotional touch can make people realize the importance of family and life.โ Others agreed, saying that such gestures might help drivers reflect on the impact of their actions, particularly on their families.
However, not everyone was entirely supportive. Some pointed out that emotional appeals might not be enough. Ravi Kumar expressed, โThis is not fair. According to the law, a fine should be imposed. Emotional gestures wonโt work.โ
Despite differing opinions, the video continued to generate praise for the Uppal SHO’s approach. โNice gesture, maโam,โ one user wrote, while another added, โFriendly police means it should be like this.โ
This incident follows a significant increase in drunk driving cases in Hyderabad during the New Year celebrations. The city police registered over 1,000 cases of drunk driving during the special drive, with a total of 1,184 cases recorded across various zones of the city. The East Zone saw the highest number of violations, with 236 cases.
One particularly concerning case occurred in Banjara Hills, where a motorist had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 550 micrograms per 100 milliliters, well above the permissible limit of 30 micrograms.
On December 31, 2024, the Hyderabad traffic police recorded 2,883 cases of drunk driving, a decrease from 3,001 the previous year. The Rachakonda Commissionerate noted 619 such cases during the New Year’s period.
Throughout 2024, Hyderabadโs traffic police collected Rs. 535 crores in penalties from over 1.57 lakh violations of the Motor Vehicles Act. Among these, 55,234 drunk-driving cases accounted for Rs. 10.69 crore in fines.