Excise Crackdown: Bars Raided Amid Rising Safety Concerns in Bhubaneswar

Excise officials faced attacks from drunken patrons while conducting raids at bars in Bhubaneswar to ensure compliance with closure regulations. Raids occurred at over 30 establishments, and actions against miscreants have been sought. The crackdown follows a fire at an unlicensed bar in a restaurant earlier in December.

Excise officials in Bhubaneswar were attacked by a group of intoxicated individuals during a series of raids aimed at ensuring bars adhered to regulatory closing times, officials stated on Sunday.

On Saturday night, the Excise Department inspected more than 30 bars in the Odisha capital, as part of an ongoing enforcement operation.

In a raid at a Patia bar, in the Chandrasekharpur police station's jurisdiction, several intoxicated patrons threw liquor bottles at officials' vehicles, although no injuries were reported. A formal complaint has been filed with the Chandrasekharpur police, as stated by an official to PTI.

The persistent enforcement drive follows a serious fire incident on December 12 at an unlicensed bar within a Satya Vihar area restaurant, an investigation of which is underway.

(With inputs from agencies.)