Moral policing or public nuisance?

Moral policing or public nuisance?
Bangalore, Aug 31, DHNS:

Following the violent incident at the lounge bar The Beach at Doopanahalli on Saturday, residents alleged that the management of the lounge bar on Indiranagar 100 feet road was trying to paint it as an instance of ‘moral policing,’ while in reality it has been a long standing dispute.

Members of residents’ associations said that the real reason was the nuisance created by the club visitors. However, the management of the club had alleged that residents had barged into the club and went on a rampage on Saturday afternoon.

Ram, a resident said that the club has been a nuisance in the neighbourhood from the time it was set up about four years ago. “We have had an issue with club visitors blocking these narrow private lanes for parking,” he added.

Residents of the Rock Residency, an apartment complex, which shares a common wall with the club said that the residents have been forced to vacate due to the nuisance. “The noise and the smoke from their kitchen directly enters our living rooms and bed rooms,” a resident corroborated.

One resident said that repeated complaints to the police provided only temporary relief.
“ When a Hoysala vehicle turns up in the neighbourhood the volume level goes down for ten minutes and soon after it leaves the noise increases.”

While another resident alleged that club visitors when drunk have even beaten up the security guards at the apartment. Meanwhile, members of the Rock Residency Residents Association and the Domlur Residents Welfare Association alleged that the entire vicinity has become a hub of anti-social activities and was becoming increasingly intolerable for the families residing in the vicinity.

The association also alleged that the building violated all by-laws, and that the BBMP has chosen to turn a blind eye to these recent developments.

BBMP to review licence
The BBMP has decided to review the licence given to the lounge bar The Beach. Top sources in the BBMP said many residential sites are now housing commercial establishments. Many such commercial buildings have bars and restaurants in the residential areas which the residents oppose. The sources said that they would look into the files related to the lounge bar The Beach and verify the permission granted to it.

Management speaks
The management of the lounge bar The Beach claimed that this is the first instance of trouble at the club since its opening. According to the management, trouble erupted after visitors to a birthday party at the club on Saturday afternoon had parked their vehicles on the narrow private lane adjoining the club.

Club Manager Vipul Khurana said, “Residents were taking out a Ganesha idol on procession for immersion. As the visitors’ vehicles were parked on the narrow private lane, they started banging on our doors and even before we could act they barged into the club and created trouble.”

He also claimed that there were members of Ram Sene among those who created trouble. Khurana added that the management had taken pains to ensure that the neighbourhood was not disturbed. “We have valet parking at the club and the cars are taken to a dedicated parking space nearby. In addition, our interiors and our roof are sound proof,” he said. He further added that he was a resident of the neighbourhood too and had never faced any issues before.

Police arrest five
The Indiranagar police have arrested five persons, including three employees in connection with the trouble that erupted at the club. The accused have been identified as Ravi and Krishnamurthy, residents of Doopanahalli. Guru, a worker at the restaurant and two other workers have also been taken into custody.

The police have registered a complaint and counter complaint against the two parties. However, the police said that the club had begun to function as usual from Sunday. The police also indicated that they were likely to make a few more arrests in the coming week.