20 underage students caught drinking at Gurugram pub

Police and excise department officials raided a birthday party — hosted by a student — at a bar in Gurugram Sector 29. The students were found to be aged between 18 and 21 years, well below the legal drinking age of 25.

Twenty students from colleges affiliated to the Delhi University were caught drinking at a pub in Sector 29 on Tuesday afternoon.

The police said they had been tipped off that students were enjoying a party and were consuming liquor in the bar. They informed the excise officials that they were going to conduct a raid and asked them to join at the earliest. (Yogesh Kumar/HT Photo)

The police and excise department officials raided a birthday party — hosted by a student — at the Feel Alive bar and restaurant. The students were found to be aged between 18 and 21 years, well below the legal drinking age of 25.

The police said they had been tipped off that students were enjoying a party and were consuming liquor in the bar. They informed the excise officials that they were going to conduct a raid and asked them to join at the earliest.

“Around 20 students were served liquor and they admitted that they had been consuming alcohol. We have taken their identification cards and they were all under 25 years of age. We will take strict action against the manager for breach of the Excise Act,” said Mukesh Malhotra, assistant excise and taxation officer, east zone.

“We will issue a challan to the pub under the Act,” he said.

The party was in full swing when the raid team crashed it at 3.30pm, the police said. The students were detained and made to register their names, addresses and dates of birth with the police. They were let off after their parents were informed.

“We raided the pub and found a large crowd of students drinking and smoking. I have ordered a probe against the bar owner,” said Shamsher Singh, assistant commissioner of police (crime). “The students were from different reputed colleges of Delhi University,” Singh said.

On the other hand, the manager of the establishment, which is on the second floor in the Sector 29 market, denied serving liquor to the underage students. “We only served mocktails and have no idea why the police and the excise teams are framing us. We have been called to the police station and will present our side of the story,” said Ramit Arora, manager of the restaurant.

The police said that the excise department will prepare a report and send it to their headquarters in Panchkula and a copy will be given to them. Based on the report the police might take action.

“We have registered the incident in our daily diary records (DDR) though no case has been registered yet. This was a clear case of negligence by the officials of the restaurant, who were serving the liquor and the licence of the outlet should be cancelled,” said ACP Singh.

There are at least 42 pubs and bars in Sector 29. The police say the competition among the establishments is fierce and checking underage drinking is not a priority for them.

This is not the first time the police have raided a pub in Gurugram and found minors drinking. On July 14, 2013, more than 100 boys and girls from reputed schools across the city were caught drinking and smoking hookah and cigarettes at a pub in DLF City Centre Mall and they were let go after their parents were called to the police station and given warnings.

On December 25, 2010, the police had spotted 80 students at a pub in Sahara Mall, which was subsequently sealed. However, it was reopened in a few days and the pub owner got away with a fine of ₹80,000.