Fireball not doused by lid on highway night life

GURGAON, May 12: September 24, 1994: Matinee idol, Saif Ali Khan gets involved in a brawl with youngsters on the dance floor of Fireball,...

int(2)

GURGAON, May 12:

September 24, 1994: Matinee idol, Saif Ali Khan gets involved in a brawl with youngsters on the dance floor of Fireball, the discotheque. The youths were drunk and reportedly upset, when the girl accompanying them chose to dance with Khan. The film star sustained cuts on the forehead and received six stitches.

October 21, 1998: Two youths, later identified as Mahesh and Jagbir (gangsters belonging to an inter-state gang of robbers), opened fire on the manager of 32nd Milestone, Rajiv Kapoor and two security guards. One of the guards, Ravishanker Dubey was killed, while Kapoor and the second guard, Rakesh Yadav were seriously injured. The assailants were drunk and reportedly accosted Kapoor. When the manager chose to ignore them, they shot at him. The guard was killed when he tried to stop the assailants as they were fleeing.

The District Administration recently passed an order under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure prohibiting all hotels, dhabas on national, state highways and Delhi Link roads from remaining open after 11 p.m.

Deputy Commissioner Krishan Kumar had told Express Newsline that several such incidents took place as hotels and dhabas situated on these roads remain open all night.

Story continues below this ad

Almost a month after this order was promulgated, the administration and the police have managed to close down dhabas and small restaurants after 11 p.m. But 32nd Milestone, a potential hot-spot for trouble-makers, continues to run it’s discotheque and restaurants till the early hours. The hotel, which happens to be a popular haunt of the Delhi elite, particularly on weekends, has often been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.

Small restaurants and dhabas like the Host, Food Plus, Krishna Gopala, Romi Da Dhaba, Sunny Restaurant and the Appno Ghar have been forced to close down by the police at 11 p.m.

A manager at the 32nd Milestone told Express Newsline that the Fireball remains open till 2 to 3 in the morning, though their restaurant and bar closes down by 11 p.m. The bar within the discotheque, however, serves liquor or beer till it remains open. But the administration and the police have chosen to remain indifferent, saying the present notification is meant for unlicensed hotels.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Navdeep Singh Virk said: “The 32nd Milestone is a licensed hotel. Our intention is to put a check on unlicensed hotels and dhabas. But after the Jessica Lal episode we have stepped up vigil at farmhouse parties and get-togethers. The cooperation of the excise department too has been sought for checking any unlicensed serving of liquor.”

Story continues below this ad

Youngsters carrying pistols and revolvers are a common sight at 32nd Milestone and despite police presence on rush days, they still come and go as they please.

“The problem begins when they drink and start showing off. Often heated arguments break out, which can end up in a shootout. We have got our own security staff to deal with hooligans, but certainly something should be done to check this weapon culture,” said one hotel manager.