Pub staff asked students to vacate premises, says Mangaluru Police Commissioner

Mangaluru: The staff of the pub asked the students partying to vacate the premises, said Mangaluru Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar on Tuesday.

Issuing a clarification on the turn of events on the day of the moral policing incident, Shashi  Kumar said that at around 9 pm, around 5 to 6 people, claiming to be members of an outfit, went to the pub alleging illegal activities taking place there. “They told the bouncer that the pub was supplying alcohol to minor boys and girls and demanded the manager to send the minors out,” he said and added that the manager later asked the minor students to vacate the premises.

The vigilantes had talked only to the bouncer of the pub, Kumar said.

Further, he said that none of the students involved in the lip-lock controversy were involved in the incident. “That’s completely false,” he added.

Of the 18 who participated in the party, 8 were found to be minors and the excise department has been notified to initiate appropriate action, Shashi Kumar said.

VHP demands to restrain illegal activities

Vishwa Hindu Parishad, meanwhile, alleged that many pubs in the city have become dens of illegal activities. Drugs and ganja are being consumed in the name of parties and young men and women are being victims of such unethical activities. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad Bajrang Dal has submitted a memorandum to the police commissioner asking the police to curb such illegal activities.

“What happened in the pub was blackmail”: Khader

Deputy opposition leader of Karnataka legislative assembly and MLA UT Khader was critical of the “unrestrained vigilantism” and equated the incident to ” blackmail and hafta.” He demanded strict action against the vigilantes too.

Speaking at a press conference, Khader said only parents can correct their children’s mistakes. “Who gave the group the authority to scold anyone’s children?” he asked.

He held the Chief Minister responsible for this. Earlier, the Chief Minister had given a statement of “Action Reaction”, which has remained in the minds of these misguided youths. They went to the pub and rioted called it a “reaction to action”, he added.