Ranchi authorities have intensified Diwali enforcement against gambling, drunk driving, rash driving, speeding and illicit liquor, while the excise department has begun testing drones to monitor illegal liquor production in difficult terrain. The measures are being implemented as the city prepares for increased movement, celebrations and commercial activity during the festive period.
City SP Paras Rana said anti-crime checks had been stepped up across Ranchi. The police action is focused on tracking criminals, recovering stolen vehicles and preventing gambling activities during the festival season, he said. Special drives against gambling are under way at sensitive locations, including Tiril and the DIG Ground area under Sadar police station limits.
Police personnel from multiple stations have been deployed at some locations for coordinated action, according to police sources. The deployment is intended to support checks in areas identified by the police for intensified surveillance during the period around Diwali.
Traffic enforcement has also been expanded. Traffic SP Rakesh Ranjan said police were detecting four or more drunk-driving cases daily during evening enforcement drives. Officers are also monitoring rash driving and speeding, which police officials said tend to increase during the festival season. The recovery of stolen vehicles, particularly motorcycles, is another focus of the checks.
The enforcement measures extend beyond Ranchi city. The excise department has decided to intensify action against illicit liquor, particularly in rural and remote areas where illegal manufacturing sites can be difficult to access through conventional ground surveillance.
As part of that effort, Excise Minister Yogendra Prasad conducted a drone trial at Chhutupalu Valley in Ramgarh. Officials said the drones can cover a distance of up to 12 kilometres in a single flight, potentially allowing teams to monitor terrain where access is challenging. The trial is aimed at assessing whether aerial surveillance can support the detection of illegal liquor manufacturing.
However, the drone programme has not yet been approved for large-scale deployment. Sources in the excise department said the technology remained in the trial phase and would be adopted more widely only after its effectiveness was assessed. The report does not specify the number of drones tested, the frequency of proposed flights or the operational framework for acting on aerial surveillance findings.
The stepped-up checks place police, traffic authorities and the excise department in separate but overlapping roles during the festive period. Police operations in the city are focused on crime prevention, gambling and road safety, while excise enforcement is directed at the manufacture and sale of illicit liquor, including in remote pockets outside the city. Further deployment of drones will depend on the outcome of the ongoing trial.
