LUCKNOW, Dec. 10 -- Cracking down on the city's growing 'car-o-bar' culture, where groups drink inside or around parked vehicles and similar nuisance in parks, markets and transit hubs, Lucknow Police carried out surprise checks on Monday night and took legal action against 1,123 individuals found consuming alcohol in public places. "The special enforcement drive saw police teams fan out across major hotspots from park peripheries and market lanes to bus stands and road intersections, where teams checked a total of 3,073 people and took legal action against 1,123 individuals found consuming alcohol in public areas," said joint commissioner of police (law and order), Babloo Kumar. Residents in several neighbourhoods had raised concerns about groups drinking openly, obstructing traffic, and creating discomfort, particularly for women. "Taking note, the commissioner directed all zonal DCPs and ACPs to launch coordinated action across the district," read details shared by Lucknow Police. The highest number of challans came from the East zone, where 330 people were booked out of 709 vehicles checked. It was followed by the central zone with 236 challaned out of 664 vehicles checked, 223 in the South zone out of 484, 219 in the West, and 115 in the North out of 484 vehicles checked. Officers said many of those booked were part of night gatherings around vehicles parked outside eateries or on roadside stretches, reflecting the city's expanding car-o-bar habit. "The drive was designed not just to penalise violators but to send a clear message that public spaces cannot be converted into drinking spots at the cost of public comfort and safety," said joint commissioner of police (law and order) Babloo Kumar....