When a special team from the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) police commissionerate raided a ladies orchestra bar in Bhayandar on Friday, little did the team know that would have to call the fire brigade personnel to rescue six bar girls who were stuck up in secret cavities.
The drama unfolded around midnight when the police team headed by DCP (Zone I) Amit Kale, swooped down on Hotel Mid Life, a ladies orchestra bar, located near the railway station in Bhayandar (east).
The initial search within the bar came up with nothing incriminating. However, the informer posing as a customer had not only confirmed the presence of bar girls, but had filmed the entire ongoing vulgarities on his mobile phone, prompting the police team to examine every inch of the premises.
Soon they found that the portion of a mirrored back wall was actually a secret door that led to a cramped cavity. The fire brigade personnel were called and six girls who were virtually forced to squeeze themselves in the cavity were rescued.
The raiding team arrested 10 staffers including the waiters, stewards and cashier of the establishment and also rounded up eleven soliciting customers. Apart from registering an offence under the relevant sections of the stringent Maharashtra Prohibition of Obscene Dance in Hotels, Restaurants and Bar Rooms and Protection of Dignity of Women Act against the accused for exploiting women in an indecent, obscene and vulgar manner, the police slapped section 308 (culpable homicide) against staffers and bar manager for endangering lives. However, the owner who is the actual beneficiary of the illicit trade managed to evade the police dragnet. Further investigations were underway.
Realizing the fact that just raids and arrests did not act as deterrents for a section of notorious bar owners, the erstwhile Thane (rural) police force led by SP Dr. Mahesh Patil had struck at the root by roping in the civic authorities to demolish the structures and get rid of the immoral and vulgar menace which has gripped the twin-city. Notably, Dr. Mahesh Patil has now been appointed as DCP (crime) in the elevated policing apparatus (MBVV) sending shivers down the bar mafia.
