Maharashtra: 10 waitresses among 31 held from bar for coronavirus norms violation, obscenity

Thane: Police have raided a bar in Maharashtra's Thane district and arrested 10 waitresses and 21 others for allegedly violating the coronavirus prevention guidelines and indulging in obscenity, an official said on Saturday.

The action was taken by the Kalyan crime branch unit-III on Thursday night, Thane police spokesperson Jaimala Wasave said.

"Based on a tip-off, the crime branch team raided the bar located on Kalyan-Manpada road and found several members of the bar staff and customers not wearing masks and also flouting the social distancing norm," she said.

The police also found that the women, who were serving food and drinks to the customers at the bar, were improperly dressed and indulged in obscene acts, the official said.

Apart from 10 waitresses, 19 customers and two employees of the bar were arrested and various equipment, including a music amplifier, collectively worth Rs 24,300, was seized, police said.

An offence under Indian Penal Code sections 294 (obscene acts and songs), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 269, 270 (negligent, malignant acts likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) was registered against the accused. They were also booked under provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act and the Disaster Management Act at Manpada police station.