MANGALURU: A day after a student party was disrupted at a pub on Balmatta Road, city police have requested the excise department to take action on finding that eight underaged students were at the pub during Monday night's incident.
Around 30 college students had organised a farewell party at the pub in Mangaluru North police station limits. Right-wing activists landed at the pub and asked the students to leave as they claimed that they had got information that minors were at the party. The activists allegedly verbally abused the students. City police chief N Shashi Kumar told TOI that out of 30 students who were at the pub, they verified the details of 18 students. Of the 18, eight boys and girls were found to be below 21 years.
Mangaluru pub owners say activists did not cause trouble
We have requested the excise department to look into the issue and take appropriate action," he added.
He said nobody has come forward to file a complaint. The pub owners said that the activists did not create any trouble. Students whom the police questioned said they did not know the people who were outside.
The commissioner said the activists who came to the pub at night told the bouncer that some of those who were partying inside were minors. The bouncer informed the pub manager, who, in turn, asked the students their age. Thereafter, the students left the pub.
As per the Karnataka Excise and General Condition Rules 1967, section 10, if customers are below 21 years it leads to a violation, the city's top cop said.
CCTV footage at the lounge showed there was no physical assault of any manner, said Shashi Kumar. He also clarified that preliminary investigation found none of the students involved in a recent viral video are connected with the pub incident.
'No minors at the lounge'
The owner of the lounge where the incident took place, claimed the issue has been needlessly blown out of proportion. Sharath K Amin, the owner, said, "A group of Bajrang Dal activists came to our lounge around 9.45pm, and said that there are minors inside, and that they should be sent out. However, the facility is a family lounge and restaurant. We also serve coffee and non-alcoholic beverages, along with entertainment. When we checked, there were no minors inside, and due to pressure exerted by right-wing extremists, we had to send a group of youngsters out of the lounge. CCTV footage is available of the same. Business in the lounge continued as usual after the incident. Being a Monday, only a few tables were booked," he said.
