Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: On Wednesday, several people from tourism Hotspot Calangute were seen protesting against alleged harassment, assault, and extortion by dance bar operators. The owner, however, has denied charges.
“The people claiming such activities do not take place here, it may be some other place and blame is coming on us; this premie is owned by Babu Azgaonkar, and it has been taken on lease by us. The bouncers kept at the premises are only for safety and nothing else,” said Onwer Devil’s bar.
He further said that those involved in the fight are not employed with the restaurant, but the matter has been produced that employees of our restaurant were involved in the fight.
“It is said that 50 people came from our side to fight, but the reality is that we don’t even have such capacity and employees working for us,” he added.
The restaurant promoters said that the allegation made to their club is completely false.
A large number of people of Calangute were up in arms on Wednesday against dance bars operating in the village, protesting against alleged harassment, assaults and extortion of money from tourists by touts and bouncers hired by these tourist businesses.
The villagers converged at a dance bar in Calangute, clamouring for strict action against dance bars and their touts and bouncers.
A few days ago, a teenage boy was assaulted in a fight between two groups. The mother of that minor boy works as a bouncer in a dance bar. She made a video claiming that locals are goons and that the police are not taking action against the people who assaulted the boy, who was admitted to the GMC in a critical condition.
The police registered the case under Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code. Two accused have been released on bail, while two accused are in the lock-up, the police said.