Thane: Thane police detained 95 youths and seized large amounts of drugs at an ongoing rave party. It started from a random social media post by the party organisers, who posted an invite to the said party. In less than two hours, hundreds of people responded and confirmed their presence at the party.
The detained youths belong to areas including Thane, Bhiwandi, Mira Road, Palghar, Kalyan, Dombivli and Navi Mumbai. The police were tipped about the party and the inside happenings by the informers, and soon after they started the process of the raid. The location was the open-air reclaimed marshy land, near a creek in the Gaumukh area - which falls under the jurisdiction of Kasarvadavali police. During the early hours of Sunday, the raid began. The youths, dancing and drinking - were also under the influence of various types of drugs, the police said. The drugs they seized include LSD, Charas, Ecstasy pills, Marijuana etc, worth over Rs. 8 lakhs. The ones detained include 95 youths, including five women and two youth - who were the organisers of the party.
Ashutosh Dumbre, the newly appointed Thane police commissioner who recently took charge on December 21 confirmed to the FPJ. The police claimed that the youths aged from 19 to mid-20s were allegedly found using drugs and alcohol at the party with loud music.
“We have detained around 90 men and five women and are sending them for medical examination. Based on medical reports, action will be taken against them,” said Punjabrao Ugale, Additional Commissioner of Police, Crime.
A preliminary probe has revealed that two suspects, Tejas Kunal, 23, a resident of Dombivali, and Sujal Mahajan, 19, Kalva, Thane, had organised the party. They charged Rs 1000 as cover charges per person, the police said.
The organisers had provided 'codes' to the attendees about the location, and the way they were supposed to arrive. "Everyone who had confirmed or reserved themselves was asked to travel to the location using a GPS. A link to the location was sent to them personally via text message. Second, they were told to not come by a four-wheeler as that may alert the locals or police, hence most of them travelled via two-wheelers. A code was provided to them which the attendees had to provide to the bouncers, only then they were allowed to enter the party. The location was between the secluded forest. They tried to cover themselves up in all ways," said a police source.
All the drugs, including drinks, and smoking materials were procured by the organisers beforehand, added sources.
These two youths had announced the details of the location on various social media platforms just two hours before the party was to be held. “We are searching in a broad spectrum from whom the drugs were sourced for the party,” Ugale said. The police are in the process of registering a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
“Under the guidance of new police commissioner Ashutosh Dumbre, the raid was successfully carried out by crime branch officials. This will also send a strong message and deter those people who are planning to organise or participate in such illegal rave parties on December 31 night,” Ugale concluded.
