Hyderabad, Jan 1 (IANS) New Year celebrations turned tragic in Hyderabad after a person died and 15 others were taken ill after a late-night party.

The incident occurred in Bhavani Nagar under Jagadgirigutta Police Station of Cyberabad Police Commissionerate in Medchal Malkajgiri district.

A group of 17 friends celebrated the New Year with a party at Bhavani Nagar Welfare Association, where they ate Biryani and consumed liquor.

On returning home past midnight, they took ill. One of them succumbed before he could be taken to the hospital. He was identified as Pandu (53).

Fifteen people have been admitted to Narayana Malla Reddy Hospital.

Food poisoning is suspected to have led to the tragedy. Police registered a case and took up an investigation.

Authorities collected samples from leftover food and liquor and sent them to the laboratory for analysis.

More details were awaited.

In another incident in Vanasthalipuram, a man created a ruckus during the special drive undertaken by the police to check drunk driving.

Protesting against the breath analyser test, the man lay down on the road. He alleged that police personnel acted in a high-handed manner. The protest led to a traffic jam on the busy road. Police personnel had to remove him to clear the traffic.

A large-scale drive against drunk driving was undertaken on the intervening night of December 31 and January 1 by the police in the three commissionerates of Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda. More than 2,000 motorists were caught driving under the influence of alcohol.

A few other incidents of motorists entering into arguments with the police during drunk driving checks were also reported from various parts of Greater Hyderabad.

Police had imposed traffic curbs in the limits of all three commsissionerates to ensure road safety during the New Year celebrations. A special drive was also conducted to check violations of traffic rules by the New Year revellers.

–IANS

ms/dpb