Bhubaneswar: The death in a Bhubaneswar hotel of a minor girl student, who was reportedly engaged in a bar, has put the Excise department in an action mode. The excise officials have launched a drive to carry out raids on different dance bars in Odisha capital.
Raids were carried out by the excise personnel at eight dance bars on Saturday night to ascertain whether all the rules and regulations are being followed in these places. The drive also aimed at ascertaining whether any of the bars have engaged minor girls, sources said.
During the operation, the identity documents of the girls engaged in the bars were thoroughly examined. Aadhaar cards of the girls were also examined to ascertain their age, while the registers and other records of the bars were also verified.
Licenses for dance bars and liquor were also verified, while all steps were taken to see if the relevant rules were being followed. It was found that the bars took necessary steps to abide by the prescribed rules and regulations.
Stating that the raids on dance bars will continue, an excise department official said that stringent action would be taken against those found violating the rules and penalties imposed on the bar owners.
The Excise department has already warned that stringent action will be taken against the bar owners found employing minor girls. It has constituted a special squad to conduct raids at all the bars in Bhubaneswar to take action against those violating rules.
The move comes in the wake of the death of Subhalaxmi Sahu, a Plus II student, inside a hotel room on Cuttack-Puri road in Bhubaneswar.
After learning that the Subhalaxmi, a minor girl, was engaged at a bar, the authorities have swung into action.
