Alcohol and Hookah Served to Underage Students: Police Raid Six Bars in Manipal, Six Cases Registered
Manipal: Acting on credible information that alcohol was being served to underage students and hookah facilities were provided to them, Manipal Police, after obtaining court permission, conducted simultaneous raids on six CL-7 bars and pubs across the city on Saturday night. During the operation, police found 99 students below the age of 21 and one boy below the age of 18 inside the establishments. A total of six separate criminal cases have been registered in connection with the raids.
Police had received information that several CL-7 bars and pubs within the jurisdiction of the Manipal Police Station were allowing students to consume hookah during night hours, in violation of Sections 4(A) and 21(A) of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA). The establishments were also allegedly serving alcohol to persons below 21 years of age, violating the Karnataka Excise Licence Rules and Section 36(1)(b) of the Karnataka Excise Act, 1967.
Based on this information, the II Additional Civil Judge (ACJ) and JMFC Court, Udupi, granted permission for a special enforcement operation, which was carried out by multiple police teams led by different officers.
In the first raid, a team led by PSI Shambhulingayya M.E. inspected Ecstasy 7th Heaven Pub on Perampalli Road. Police found six people — three young men and three young women, all below 21 years of age. The mandatory notice prohibiting entry to persons below 21 years was also absent. A case has been registered as Crime No. 114/2026.
A second team led by PSI Thimmesh B.N. raided Sai Sagar CL-7 Bar & Restaurant at Eshwar Nagar, where police found 14 persons – 12 young men and two young women below the age of 21. The required age restriction signboard was also missing. The case has been registered as Crime No. 115/2026.
A team headed by Women Police Station PSI Shreeshaila D.M. raided Down The Road CL-7 Bar & Restaurant, where police found 19 underage students, 14 young men, and five young women. A case has been registered as Crime No. 116/2026.
The same team later inspected Dexter Bar & Restaurant, where police found 21 boys and girls below the age of 21. The establishment also lacked the mandatory age-restriction notice. A case has been registered as Crime No. 117/2026.
Another team led by Malpe Police Station PSI Anil Kumar D. raided D.T. Bar & Restaurant, where police found seven students below 21 years of age. A case has been registered as Crime No. 118/2026.
Meanwhile, a team headed by Hiriyadka Police Station PSI Puneeth Kumar B.E. raided Janani Bar & Restaurant, where police found 17 students below the age of 21, along with one boy below 18 years of age. A case has been registered as Crime No. 119/2026 under Section 77 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act and Section 36(1)(b) of the Karnataka Excise Act, 1967.
Overall, the special operation resulted in the detection of 99 students below 21 years of age and one minor below the age of 18 across six bars and pubs. Police also found that none of the establishments displayed the mandatory age-restriction signboards required by law.
Six separate cases have been registered at the Manipal Police Station, and further investigation is underway against the bar owners and other persons concerned under the Karnataka Excise Act, 1967, the Karnataka Excise Licence Rules, the COTPA Act, and other applicable laws.
