The tussle between the police and owners of orchestra and dance bars, also called ladies’ bars, seems to have reached new heights with several owners approaching the Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHAR) complaining of harassment by cops. Owners, especially from western suburbs, said cops keep making rounds of their establishments, and sit and sometimes even sleep for hours, which scares off customers. Some even complained that they were forced to shut their establishments much before the 1.30 am closing time. 

Dance bar owners further claimed that when they asked the cops, they were told that the cops were following the top cop’s orders. However, Mumbai Commissioner of Police Sanjay Pandey told mid-day that he has not issued any such orders and added that if anybody is being harassed by cops, they can approach his office.