Pune Police Halt Protest at The Mills Amidst Pubs Closure Controversy

Reported by Sumit Singh

Pune, 24th May 2024: Pune Police intervened to prevent hoteliers and pub owners from staging a protest at The Mills without proper permission. The gathering, attended by about a thousand people, was organized in response to the alleged arbitrary closure of pubs by the excise department.

This crackdown came after an incident where liquor was served to a minor driver whose car was involved in an accident resulting in the death of two IT engineers in Kalyani Nagar on May 19.

DCP (Zone 2) Smartana Patil informed Punekar News, “I have instructed my team to disperse the crowd immediately as they had not obtained permission to organize the protest.” She emphasized that legal action would be taken against the organizers for violating regulations regarding public demonstrations.

The decision to shut down pubs by the excise department has stirred controversy among local business owners, leading to frustration and unrest within the hospitality industry. Many establishments feel unfairly targeted by the sudden crackdown, which they perceive as arbitrary and disproportionate.