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‘War zone every night’: Summit clubs test police limits
This past week, two back-to-back cases of assault reported at two clubs, one of which is located in the said building, brought the focus back on the Vibhuti Khand police station
In the heart of Gomti Nagar’s posh Vibhuti Khand, stands a building that mostly stays abuzz. Home to dozens of cafes, nightclubs, bars and pubs, Summit Building is the city’s ultimate answer to every party call.
By day, it is like any other building in the city’s upscale area. After sunset, it turns into a hub of loud music, flashing lights, and party crowds. While it is popular among youngsters, it often makes the headlines for the chaos and commotion that people cause.
This past week, two back-to-back cases of assault reported at two clubs, one of which is located in the said building, brought the focus back on the Vibhuti Khand police station, forcing the police headquarters to intervene. The issue is said to have reached the chief minister’s ears too. On Monday, station house officer (SHO) Sunil Kr Singh and the Summit outpost in-charge were both suspended. Both the business establishments are located within the limits of the Vibhuti Khand police station.
Every night, as bars and lounges in Summit swing into high gear, the police station turns into a sort of control room on high alert. Dozens of cops, including the outpost team, fan out in the area, and monitor hundreds of inebriated partygoers getting out of clubs after the mandatory 1 or 2am closing time.
“Even after the clubs shutdown, people refuse to leave. They loiter around, creating chaos and sometimes even attack each other,” said a female constable posted at the police station, who has been tasked with the responsibility to male people leave the clubs.
New SHO, new strategy
The new SHO, Amar Singh, who took charge on Tuesday, said a new strategy was in the works to prevent such incidents, which might include imposing a ‘security fee’ on the establishments and reducing their operation time.
Speaking to HT, he said, “We are working on strict measures. If bars can’t control their customers, they will have to pay for the security arrangements then,” he said, hinting at the possibility of imposing a ‘security fee’ on clubs and lounges that generate maximum law-and-order issues. The inspector added that reducing bars’ timings from 2am is also under consideration. “The later the night, the bigger the trouble. With due consideration from the senior police officers, we will draft a letter to the district magistrate to reduce the closing timings,” he said.
‘Brawls, drunk driving very common’
There are around 120 cops at the Vibhuti Khand police station, among whom are three inspectors. Anil Kumar Singh, a senior inspector at the police station, said that on normal days, 35-40 cops were deployed in the building. On weekends, the deployments went up, he added.
“No matter how many cops we deploy or what strategy we make, after midnight, it becomes a war zone,” said a senior police officer. “From late-night brawls and drunk driving to firing incidents in clubs, the chaos refuses to die down.”
Even residents of the nearby apartment complexes have their own tales of how much they have to accommodate. “We have complained so many times, but it’s always the same after midnight,” said Ritu Sharma, who lives in a housing society near the building.
Anushree Singh, who lives in Eldeco Elegance, said, “We are scared to return back home at night because we often see brawls right on the road. After the clubs shut down, people go to dark corners to drink again.”
Two held for attack on nightclub manager
In the recent case of armed attack on a nightclub manager at Summit Building, police have arrested two men. “The accused, identified as Ajit Pandey (25) of Matiyari and Jai Prakash Yadav (28) of Brijmohan Puri Colony, were held near Mandir Wali Gali in front of SSB Bhawan by a joint team of DCP East’s crime unit and Vibhutikhand police,” said Amar Singh, SHO, Vibhuti Khand, adding that police seized two country-made .32 bore pistols and four live cartridges used in the assault. The arrests came after strong criticism over delayed action, which led to a reshuffle in the local police setup.
