After Toit Pune Tragedy, Restaurants Amplify ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ Message
Pune, 4th December 2025: The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), Pune Chapter, has reiterated its strong message urging people not to drink and drive, advising guests to opt for cabs, public transport, or designated drivers after consuming alcohol.
In a statement, the association said restaurants and hotels in Pune care deeply about the safety of their patrons and want celebrations to remain safe and responsible. To ensure this, several preventive measures have already been put in place across member establishments, including active requests to guests to book a cab, use a designated driver, or even request support from valet staff to drive them home if required.
“As part of our safety-first approach, valet assistants are now specifically designated to help guests book cabs,” the association said. Visual advisories such as signage and standees with the message “Do Not Drink and Drive — Take a Cab” have been placed at the entrances of outlets to raise awareness.
The renewed appeal follows the recent tragedy at Toit Pune, where valet assistant Satendra Mandal died after a car rammed into the valet desk. According to NRAI Pune, the accused had arrived at the venue already under the influence of alcohol.
“After he was escorted out of their premises, the management at Toit Pune repeatedly requested the individual—who is now in police custody—to take a cab and even offered to drive him home, as he was clearly unfit to drive. Unfortunately, he refused to listen, which resulted in the tragic loss of our colleague, Satendra Mandal,” the association noted.
It added that Toit Pune is fully cooperating with the police investigation and complying with all legal procedures.
Reiterating its stance on public safety, NRAI Pune urged citizens to make the right choice when stepping out to dine and celebrate.
“We once again appeal to all patrons: Please do not drink and drive. Choose a cab or a designated driver. Your safety and the safety of others is our highest priority,” the association said.
