Police stop AR Rahman’s concert midway in Pune citing 10pm deadline

A R Rahman's live concert in Pune was abruptly stopped by police for going past the 10pm deadline. The event's organisers stated that they had no intention of breaking the law and that their aim was to "uplift the city's happiness index". A 2005 Supreme Court order banned loud music in open spaces after 10pm. No case has been registered in connection with the incident.

Pune: Oscar-winning composer A R Rahman’s live concert in Raja Bahadur Mills, Pune, came to an abrupt stop on Sunday night after an officer walked up on the stage and indicated that the show had gone a few minutes past the 10pm deadline.

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As per the police, Rahman had winded up the concert immediately after he was instructed to stop the show. A 2005 order by the Supreme Court banned loud music in open places after 10pm.

A video of the event went viral on social media platforms in which Bund Garden Police Station’s inspector Santosh Patil is seen indicating at his watch to stop the music show as it was already past 10 pm.

“Rahman, his troupe and the organisers immediately followed the instructions,” said Patil. “As the deadline of 10pm had passed, we asked him (Rahman) and other artists to stop the show,” said Patil.

Feeding Smiles and 2BHK organised the event.

Heramb Shelke, owner of 2BHK, while expressing displeasure over the way the incident unfolded said, “We never wanted to breach the law and our intention to organise the event was to uplift the city’s happiness index. If the police had asked us without going on to dias, we would have immediately stopped the event.”

The SC order of 2005 was further clarified by a judgement of the Bombay high court in 2016 stating that “if the ambient noise levels in a public space cannot be exceeded even if the music is played indoors and if it emanates outdoors beyond the permissible limit.”

No case has been registered in this connection, a senior police official said.

Rehman did not realise that it was already past 10pm, so police officials went and conveyed to him that the deadline should be followed as per the SC guidelines,” Smartana Patil, deputy commissioner of police.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut alleged that such rules do not apply to BJP leaders.

“Pune police stop Oscar award winner AR Rahman’s concert midway for exceeding the time limit. But, on the other hand, a BJP leader in Mumbai dances in a bar till 3.30am. Mr Devendra Fadnavis, isn’t the law equal for everyone? Or are your leaders bigger than the land of the law?” Raut tweeted.

Raut wrote to deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis regarding an alleged standoff between the Mumbai Police and a local BJP leader over a bar being opened beyond the stipulated time limit. Narrating the incident, Raut said that Sachin Kamble of the Sambhaji Brigade pleaded with the staff to control the situation inside the bar that allegedly remained open around 3.30am, leading to a scuffle with the patrons, including one BJP leader Mohit Kamboj.