TEAM HERALD
CALANGUTE: Calangute Police raided two dance bars in Calangute late Thursday night.
According to police sources, the police raided a dance bar at Umtta Vaddo, Calangute, which was running without licence. When police asked the dance bar owner for the licence, he failed to produce it and was accordingly asked to shut down.
Sources further informed that another dance bar at Khobra Vaddo which was also found operating without licence was asked to shut down. Police said no arrests have been made.
Though Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday stated that his government will not issue licences for dance bars in the State, a few owners running dance bars in Calangute had other ideas and tried to keep their establishments open for the tourists on Independence Day.
The rush of tourists due to weekend holidays also generated interest in the activity which had come to a grinding halt in the coastal belt of Calangute due to persistent demands of Calangute Panchayat and Calangute MLA Michael Lobo.
Despite the best efforts of the Calangute Panchayat and Lobo, the owners were running the dance bars enticing customers, especially domestic tourists.
“A local informed me of the re-opening of the dance bar in Umtta Vaddo, which was earlier raided by Calangute Police and others. Police were accordingly informed of the development and told to act in the matter. I will not allow any such illegal activity in my constituency,” said Lobo.
Police sources have confirmed the crackdown, but were unable to provide any details.
