Eatery serves hookah, liquor to minors

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, March 16

The Ludhiana police conducted a raid at a restaurant, ‘Le Antares’, in South City where hookah and liquor were being served to minor boys.

The police also arrested restaurant owner Ankur Kumar, a resident of Himachal Pradesh, and manager Salamat Ali of Jagraon.

Commissioner of Police Mandeep Singh Sidhu in a statement issued said the city police had already launched a campaign against restaurants serving hookah to clients and several raids were already conducted by the police in the recent past in this regard. Even shops selling hookahs were also raided.

On Wednesday, a tip-off was received that restaurant ‘Le Antares’ was serving hookah and whisky to minor boys. The restaurant was also charging a huge money from clients to ensure their safety from any legal action. The police party, under the leadership of ADCP Shubham Aggarwal and ACP Mandeep Singh, conducted a raid and caught restaurant staff red-handed while serving hookahs and whisky to around 25 minor boys.

Sidhu said a case under Sections 188 (disobedience to the order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 6,7, 20 and 24 of the Tobacco Act, 21-A of the COTPA Act was registered against the owner and manager of the restaurant.

He said the Police Commissionerate, Ludhiana, registered the FIR against the persons under sections of the IPC that were non-bailable in nature. It was done so that it could act as a deterrent for others involved in such activities.