The death of Subhalaxmi Sahu in a hotel in Bhubaneswar has now prompted the Excise department to get into action mode. The officials of the Excise wing on Saturday raided multiple bars in Bhubaneswar. The objective of the drive is to check the age of the girl dancers engaged in the bars, licences of bars and other documents.
As reports, raids were conducted on at least eight bars located in different parts of Bhubaneswar. Sources said many bars were found operating beyond the permissible timing while the CCTV at some bars were found lying defunct during the raids.
Bhubaneswar Excise Inspector, Bikash Nayak informed that cases will be registered and fines will be collected from the bars violating norms. Moreover, such raids will be intensified in the coming days as well, he said.
Meanwhile, a video of Subhalaxmi entering the hotel on August 2 for check-in has now gone viral on social media. In the video, the Subhalaxmi can be seen talking with someone over the phone. Subhalaxmi’s body was later found hanging from the same hotel on August 4, 2023. Police has also seized the hard disk of the CCTV camera of the hotel.
Earlier, the chairperson of the Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) had expressed her concern over the death of Subhalaxmi, a Plus II student.
After coming to know that the minor girl (Subhalaxmi Sahu) was engaged at a bar, chairperson of OSCPCR Mandakinee Kar had sought a report from the DCP and directed the police to arrest the persons who engage minor girls at bars.