Hyderabad cop booked for letting 6-year-old granddaughter drive on busy road
Synopsis
A serving Hyderabad Sub-Inspector let his six-year-old granddaughter drive a car on a busy road — and then argued with bystanders who objected. It took a viral video and public outrage for his own department to act. The case lays bare a persistent accountability gap: when cops break the rules, it often takes social media pressure to trigger consequences.
Key Takeaways
Sub-Inspector Pujari Thirupathi of Cyberabad Police was booked on 12 July for allowing his six-year-old granddaughter to drive a car on a busy road in Hyderabad .
The incident occurred on Gandhamguda-Bairagiguda Road under Narsingi Police Station limits.
Case registered under Section 125 BNS and Sections 184 and 180 of the Motor Vehicles Act ; investigation is ongoing.
Action was taken only after a video of the incident went viral on social media and triggered public outrage.
Separately, Cyberabad Traffic Police detained 354 drunk driving offenders over the same weekend, with BAC levels as high as 550 mg/100 ml .
Cyberabad Traffic Police on Sunday, 12 July registered a case against Sub-Inspector Pujari Thirupathi for allowing his six-year-old granddaughter to drive a car on a busy road in Hyderabad, after a video of the incident went viral and triggered widespread public outrage. The case was registered under Section 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 184 and 180 of the Motor Vehicles Act.
What Happened on Gandhamguda-Bairagiguda Road
The incident took place within the limits of Narsingi Police Station, where Sub-Inspector Thirupathi was seen letting the young child operate the vehicle on Gandhamguda-Bairagiguda Road. The move reportedly caused a traffic jam, drawing objections from motorists and bystanders who confronted the officer about the blatant traffic violation.
Thirupathi reportedly attempted to justify his actions by stating it was an automatic-transmission vehicle and that he was in control of the car. His granddaughter told bystanders that her grandfather was a police officer. Both the officer and the child were seen arguing with those who raised objections, according to the video that circulated widely on social media.
Public Outrage Prompts Police Action
The video spread rapidly across social media platforms, prompting senior Cyberabad Police officials to take serious note and order registration of the case. Cyberabad Traffic Police confirmed on Sunday night that the case had been filed and that further investigation is in progress.
Notably, the irony of a serving police officer — whose own duties include enforcing traffic rules — flouting the law so openly was not lost on the public. People confronted Thirupathi, asking how he could endanger others' lives despite being in uniform. The incident has renewed scrutiny of accountability standards within the police force.
Cyberabad's Weekend Drunk Driving Crackdown
Separately, Cyberabad Traffic Police also announced the results of a special drunk driving enforcement drive conducted over the same weekend. A total of 354 offenders were apprehended, involving 299 two-wheelers, 17 three-wheelers, and 38 four-wheelers.
Offenders were categorised by Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) levels: 305 offenders recorded BAC levels between 36 mg/100 ml and 200 mg/100 ml; 31 offenders between 201 mg/100 ml and 300 mg/100 ml; and 18 offenders between 301 mg/100 ml and 550 mg/100 ml. All offenders are to be produced before a court.
Warning on Drunk Driving Consequences
Cyberabad Police reiterated that driving under the influence is a serious criminal offence. If a drunk driver causes a fatal accident, they can be booked under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (Culpable Homicide Not Amounting to Murder), which carries a maximum punishment of 10 years of imprisonment along with a fine.
With two high-profile traffic enforcement actions on the same day, Cyberabad Police appear to be signalling a zero-tolerance stance — though critics will note that the minor-driving case required viral public pressure before action was taken against one of their own.
Point of View
Then argued with citizens who raised an objection, and action came only after the video went viral. That sequence reveals a structural problem: internal accountability mechanisms did not catch this; public pressure did. On the same day, Cyberabad Police ran a 354-arrest drunk driving drive — yet a uniformed officer flouting traffic law in broad daylight required a social media storm to trigger a case. The BNS and Motor Vehicles Act charges are appropriate, but the deeper question is whether the officer faces departmental action, or whether the FIR quietly fades once the outrage cycle moves on.
NationPress
13 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Sub-Inspector Pujari Thirupathi booked by Cyberabad Police?
Sub-Inspector Pujari Thirupathi was booked for allowing his six-year-old granddaughter to drive a car on a busy public road in Hyderabad on 12 July. A case was registered after a video of the incident went viral and triggered public outrage.
What sections were invoked in the case against the Hyderabad police officer?
The case was registered under Section 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 184 and 180 of the Motor Vehicles Act, which pertain to dangerous driving and permitting an unauthorised person to drive.
Where exactly did the minor driving incident take place?
The incident occurred on Gandhamguda-Bairagiguda Road, within the limits of Narsingi Police Station in Hyderabad's Cyberabad commissionerate.
How did Cyberabad Police come to register the case?
Senior officials took cognisance only after a video of the incident was widely shared on social media and drew public outrage. Cyberabad Traffic Police confirmed the case registration on Sunday night, stating that further investigation is in progress.
What were the results of Cyberabad's weekend drunk driving drive?
Cyberabad Traffic Police apprehended 354 drunk driving offenders over the weekend, involving 299 two-wheelers, 17 three-wheelers, and 38 four-wheelers. BAC levels among offenders ranged from 36 mg/100 ml to as high as 550 mg/100 ml; all are to be produced before a court.
