Chikkamagaluru, March 17 – In a rare instance of community-based punishment, a court in Kadur taluk in Chikkamagaluru district in Karnataka has directed a man booked for riding a motorcycle while intoxicated to stand on the roadside holding a sign displaying traffic rules.
The accused, Ranjith Kumar, a resident of Bisalehalli village, had been booked for riding a motorcycle under the influence of alcohol. During the hearing, the Judicial Magistrate of First Class (JMFC) Court in Kadur issued an unusual order, asking him to perform community service as part of the penalty.
According to the order, Ranjith Kumar was instructed to stand at the Maravanji Circle/Malleshwara Circle on Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., holding a traffic rules signboard. The court also noted that the accused had admitted his mistake during the proceedings.
To ensure compliance, the court directed that police personnel be deployed at the spot to monitor the activity. It also ordered that a report be submitted after 5 p.m. confirming whether the accused followed the instructions.
Following the directive, Ranjith Kumar was seen standing at the designated location holding the traffic rules board, with a police officer stationed nearby to supervise the community service.
It may be recalled that a Karnataka court in Sullia recently ordered a traffic violator to perform 15 days of community service by holding safety placards at major city junctions. This creative punishment, aimed at raising awareness rather than just fining, required the youth to stand at traffic junctions between March 15 and March 29, alongside paying fines and a suspended license.
Rakshit G. violated traffic rules several times in Sullia town, following which, three separate cases were registered at the Sullia police station under Section 119 read with 177, 184 and 194(C) of the Indian Motor Vehicles Act. Sullia police sub-inspector Santosh B.P. had filed a charge sheet in connection with these cases.
During the hearing, the court imposed a fine of Rs 3,000 on the accused in two cases and ordered him to undertake community service for 15 days, five days each in all three cases, from March 15 to 29. In addition, the court ordered the suspension of the accused's driving license for three months.
In October 2025, a Udupi judge ordered three intoxicated individuals to clean the court premises' toilet for misbehaving. The Judge ordered three men to clean the court's toilet after they appeared in an inebriated state and misbehaved within the court premises.
The trio had come to the court to give their statements as witnesses in a case. While waiting their turn on a bench outside the courtroom, they were allegedly speaking loudly and even smoking in the premises.
