These Bars In Bhubaneswar Sealed For Engaging Dancers, Violating COVID Norms

Bhubaneswar: Three dance bars in Bhubaneswar were sealed on Tuesday night for allegedly engaging dancers without permission and violating COVID-19 norms.

A team of Cuttack Flying Squad, excise officials at Bhubaneswar and Commissionerate Police raided five dance bars on Cuttack Road in the city. Nasha Lounge, Live It Up Restaurant and Ekamra Bar were sealed, while the other two bars were served a show-cause notice for allegedly operating beyond the prescribed closing time of 9.30 pm under the existing night curfew restrictions imposed by the Odisha government.

“The raid was conducted on a tipoff about the dance programmes in some bars. Three bars were sealed following the simultaneous raids,” Superintendent of Cuttack flying squad, Debasish Patel informed.

The 10 bar girls, who were detained during the raid, were let off after questioning, police sources said.

Notably, The government has not granted permission to any dance bar to operate in the city this year in view of the ongoing COVID pandemic.

Such surprise raids to curb the offences will continue in the city, an official said.