Abide by law or begin 2026 in lock-up: Surat Police issue stern warning ahead of New Year’s eve

From the sky, the ground as well as the eyes and ears of the personnel on duty, the Gujarat Police are keeping a close watch on revellers to enforce strict law and order in major cities of the state in the run-up to New Year’s eve. On Monday, even as the Vadodara city police undertook an Area Dominance March, the Surat City Police issued a stern warning to stay within “the line of law” or “begin your new year in the lock-up.”

In view of New Year’s Eve celebrations, Surat City Commissioner of Police Anupamsinh Gahlaut on Monday elaborated on the preparations made by the police to ensure maintenance of law and order on December 31.

Gahlaut sounded a clear warning against breaking the law, including consumption of drugs – which would attract an FIR. He said, “People will say goodbye to 2025 on December 31 and welcome 2026. We have received 13 applications from event organisers in the city. The Surat police are with you, so far as you follow the law. So long as you do not indulge in acts that cause trouble to women and other co-revellers. Do not overspeed…if you try to tease women or indulge in stunts, cut cakes with swords or such acts, we will come after you…”

Pointing out that although the Surat Police have begun efforts for rehabilitation of individual drug users, the New Year’s Eve will be an exception as anyone caught with traces of intoxicant in their body samples, will face an FIR.

“On December 31, if anyone is found having consumed drugs, we will lodge cases against them. On other days we help in rehabilitation but on December 31, we will strictly check for narcotics consumption. As part of the preparations, 5,000 police personnel have been deployed and 45 checkpoints have been set up… any intoxicant consumed will result in strict police action. We have 380 alcohol detectors, of which 180 are baton-based, to allow testing from a distance. As many as 200 breath analysers are handed out to SOG, DCB and other local police. We also have anti-narcotics kits,” Gahlaut said.

He added that the city police would install additional cameras at “blind spots” to monitor movement in the city on New Years’ eve. “We have 900 body-worn cameras… In some spots where there are no CCTVs, we are putting up solar-based and wireless cameras for live monitoring through the control room… We request people to celebrate by respecting the rule of law. If you break the sanctity of the law in place, it is certain that you will begin 2026 in a police lock-up. Enjoy and coordinate with the police, Gahlaut said.”

In Vadodara, the city police undertook an area domination exercise and Commissioner of Police Narasimha Komar appealed to the citizens to follow the law. Komar said, “The police have worked with complete dedication for the prevention, detection, investigation and law and order maintenance all year through… Now, as we reach the end of the year, an action plan has been prepared by the city police for the safe celebrations of the New Years’ eve. For this, a crackdown on bootlegging, identification of persons indulging in peddling drugs…”

He added, “About 8000 CCTV cameras, 750 body worn cameras and eight drone cameras will be deployed as we have our eyes on the city from the ground, the sky and even the shoulder of the officers. We have 500 breath analysers and four NDPS kits that will enable us to find offenders.”

Komar added that while a police force of over 2,000 personnel, including six Deputy Commissioners of Police and 13 Assistant Commissioners of Police would be deployed in the city, an additional 400 police personnel will help in traffic management along with TRB jawans while 700 home guards will volunteer in the city. Komar said, “We do not have many events within the city but the celebrations are expected to be held in the rural side … In some applications received, we have strictly asked the organisers to ensure tht there is no drug or alcohol abuse at the venue, orderly parking and event management as well as obedience of law…”

Komar added that in view of the possibility of an increase in bootlegging during New Year, the city police has also decided to crack down on deliveries on two-wheelers, many of which are being deployed to transport alcohol undetected. “We are cracking down on these kinds of activities; the city police has made seizures in the past week. It has been noticed that many two-wheeler delivery services spring up during such times as the demand for (illegal) liquor increases. We are initiating strict action in such cases.”

Meanwhile, as part of preparations for New Year celebrations, police in all four major cities have briefed officers and personnel, asking all police stations to have personnel on the ground to provide security and prevent untoward incidents.

While local police have been asked to deploy adequate bandobast of personnel in sensitive areas as well as places where crowds are likely to gather, crime branches have made their own preparations with drives related to specific crimes targeting revelers.

Regarding the preparations in Ahmedabad city, DCP (Crime) Ajit Rajian said, “All our teams will be on the ground carrying out drug tests with field kits, liquors tests and we will also have drone surveillance in places of public gatherings.”

The Ahmedabad City Police will carry out vehicle checks. Mahila police personnel will be deployed in plainclothes to make sure women are not harassed and to nab “romeos” hindering the festive spirit.

In Rajkot city, DCP (Crime) Jagdish Bangarwa said, “We have begun vehicle checking and we have deployed drug test kits. SHE teams will be patrolling around the city.”

The Rajkot city police have also issued a notification from its special Branch, barring the bursting of crackers, and creating other forms of nuisance between 12 am on December 30, 2025, to 11:59 pm on January 1, 2026.