Conflicting versions were put out by the police and the bar management about the age of the women who consumed alcohol in the Up Bar and Restaurant at AS Rao Nagar and was subsequently involved in an accident that killed a 48-year-old cobbler near DAE Colony in Kushaiguda late on Sunday night.
While the cops claimed that the four women were below 21 years, the bar management insisted that the women had produced identity cards in proof of attaining legal age to consume liquor. The legal age to consume liquor in Telangana is 21 years.
CCTV footage shows the women leaving the lounge around 12.10 a.m, escorted by the staff to their car. The lounge staff and the police say they had arrived at the bar around 8 p.m. on Sunday to party. The open terrace lounge has a bar in a glass-enclosed structure. “We are verifying how the underage women were allowed into the bar and served liquor,” said Ch. R. Umamaheswara Sarma, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Malkajgiri.
He said they would serve notice on the bar management for violation of rules. Kushaiguda Assistant Commissioner of Police P. Krishna Murthy said, “We were shocked to learn about the bar’s existence on the open terrace of the building.” Police said they would write to the Excise and Prohibition department and the GHMC to take necessary action.
Kapra Circle Deputy Commissioner Yadagiri said, “When I visited the place three months ago, we found they were running a bar and denied them permission. Only now have we come to know they are running it without permission. We will visit the place on Tuesday and take action.” Mr Yadagiri said bars should not be permitted to operate from open terraces.
Victim Ashok Kumar’s wife Lakshmi Bai demanded justice as there was no one to support their family following the death of the sole bread-winner. The victim is survived by wife and three sons – Mahesh, Akash and Avinash. Lakshmi Bai said her in-laws had migrated to the city decades ago in search of livelihood and Ashok had run the makeshift outlet for the past 25 years.
