kolkata: After the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) decided to close all hookah bars in the city, Kolkata Police intensified its crackdown on hookah bars and lounges. The cops have been conducting raids at several hookah bars in the city since Friday.
The Kolkata Police conducted raids at different hookah places in the city on Saturday night as well. In a raid conducted by the police at a hookah bar in Kasba's Rajdanga area, they arrested the manager of the bar.
Despite the ban by administration, the hookah bar was allegedly serving hookahs to its customers. The police arrested the manager and seized four sets of hookahs and quality tobacco. A suo moto case has been registered at Kasba Police Station. The Lalbazar team, which is conducting the raids includes officials from the Anti-Rowdy squad and Intelligence department. They had made several arrests during the operation to keep a check on illegal hookah bars.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) on Friday decided to close all hookah bars in the city. At the end of the 'Talk to Mayor' session on Friday, Mayor Hakim informed that no new licenses would be given to run a hookah bar in the city.
He further informed that those who are running hookah bars will not be allowed to serve the same.
Hakim stated: "We have placed the request for the closing down of all hookah bars in Kolkata. We will not be giving any new license for running a hookah bar and whosoever we have given licenses to, will be directed not to serve hookah. If anybody is found to be serving hookah, the trade license of the concerned business owner will be revoked then."